FDA policy allows more gay and bisexual men to donate blood

Authored by pinchnews.com and submitted by SomeToLaughAt
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The Food and Drug Administration (FDA) has announced that they’ve eased restrictions on blood donations by men who have sex with men in an effort to address blood shortages. The new policy recommends a series of individual risk-based questions that will apply to all donors, regardless of their sexual orientation, sex, or gender. Men who have sex with men in monogamous relationships will now be permitted to donate blood. The previous FDA guidelines allowed gay and bisexual men to donate blood only after a three-month deferral period, which was reduced from the previous 12-month period. Under the new policy, time-based restrictions will be eliminated in favor of a more inclusive approach based on scientific evidence that ensures the safety of the blood supply. All prospective donors will be required to answer a series of individual, risk-based questions to determine eligibility. Donors who report having a new sexual partner, or more than one sexual partner in the past three months, and anal sex in the past three months, would be deferred for three months to reduce the likelihood of donations by individuals with new or recent HIV infection.

Tb1969 on May 11st, 2023 at 20:38 UTC »

This might have a double effect. More LGBT and less people who are LGBT-phobic not wanting donated blood.

ChantillyParfait on May 11st, 2023 at 17:21 UTC »

It's not really uplifting news when they're doing it due to circumstances of desperation, and not change for the purposes of social equity.

Souriane on May 11st, 2023 at 16:44 UTC »

Oh yeah! We accept you... only when it suits us!

Edit: it's a great news!!!!