US | FDA plans to change `discriminatory and outdated` blood donation rules for gay men – WION

The United States Food and Drug Administration (FDA) is reportedly debating allowing gay and bisexual men in monogamous relationships to donate blood without abstaining from sex, as required under the current guidelines.

A Wall Street Journal (WSJ) report citing sources familiar with the plans said that the FDA plans to issue the new rules in the coming months.

Under the new guidelines, the donors would be required to complete an individualised risk assessment similar to that used by Canada.

Also read | Gravitas: US senators want FDA to allow gay people to donate blood

Canada adopted its risk assessment form in September, however, it is not just for gay and bisexual men, rather it is applicable to donors of all genders and sexual orientations. The form asks uniform questions about a potential donor’s medical, travel and sexual history.

Officials of the US FDA are still drafting its questionnaire and the guidelines.

WFJ citing an anonymous FDA official reported that the new assessment would most probably ask people about their sexual history over the past three months, including new sexual partners if any.

People with no new sexual partners in the past three months will be free to donate blood. Those who report new partners would have to answer follow-up questions like whether they engaged in anal sex or not. 

Those with no anal sex encounters in the last three months will be allowed to donate blood, while those who reply yes to the question will have to wait another three months before being eligible to donate.

As per the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) compared to other forms of sex unprotected anal sex carries a higher risk of HIV infection. 

HIV Infection becomes apparent in three months, said the FDA official.

LGBTQ advocacy groups have for long said that the US policy is discriminatory and outdated, organisations like the American Medical Association, and the American Red Cross too have called for a policy change.

US blood donation policy was originally adopted in 1985 and it dictated that a gay/bisexual man will not be eligible to donate blood if they have had sex with another man even once since 1977. It came into force to protect the blood supply from HIV.

In 2015, the rule was amended and only men who have had a sexual partner of the same sex in the past one year were made ineligible to donate. During the pandemic due to a shortage of blood supply, this time period was further shortened to three months.