FDA takes a forward approach to letting gay men donate blood
Government health leaders use progressive language in announcing that a 31-year-old ban on blood donations from gay men has been lifted.
On Monday, the agency announced its new recommendation for blood donations from “men who have sex with men.” In a press release, doctors and researchers said:
As part of today’s finalized blood donor deferral guidance, the FDA is changing its recommendation that men who have sex with men (MSM) be indefinitely deferred – a policy that has been in place for approximately 30 years – to 12 months since the last sexual contact with another man. These updated recommendations better align the deferral period for MSM with the deferral period for other men and women at increased risk for HIV infection – such as those who had a recent blood transfusion or those who have been accidentally exposed to the blood of another individual.
The release also indicates that agency leaders have been receptive to how their counterparts in other countries are addressing the issue:
The FDA examined a variety of recent studies, epidemiologic data, and shared experiences from other countries that have made recent MSM deferral policy changes.
Similar language was used on Twitter as well:
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