The US Food and Drug Administration (FDA) is proposing to reduce the current ban on blood donation by gay and bisexual men. Under current rules, the FDA allows donations from gay and bisexual men if they haven’t had sex with another man for three months.. The change is being made due to a shift in scientific understanding of the risks associated with blood donation from our community.
In a draft proposal posted to the agency’s website, the FDA said the new rules would allow anyone to donate blood — regardless of gender or sexual orientation — as long as they haven’t engaged in certain sexual behaviors in the last three months.
That would mean most gay and bisexual men who are in a monogamous relationship with another man will no longer need to abstain from sex to donate blood.
The new proposed rule would reduce the ban to three months, which is in line with similar policies in other countries, including Australia, Japan, and the United Kingdom. This change is seen as a step towards reducing barriers to blood donation and increasing the overall supply of blood.
The proposed change will be open for public comment for 60 days before being finalized. If the rule is adopted, it will be a significant change in the approach to blood donation and a reflection of the increasing understanding of the transmission of infectious diseases. The hope is that this will result in a more inclusive blood donation process, leading to an increased supply of blood for those in need.
