FDA Ban On Blood Donated By Gay Men Upheld
But a review of the history surrounding the decades-old “lifelong ban” on gay men donating blood makes clear that far more was at stake. In , almost a year before HIV was identified as the etiologic cause of AIDS, and 2 years before the licensure of the antibody screening test designed to detect infection, political pressure began. Current FDA policy permanently bars any man who has ever, even once, had sex with another man since from donating blood in the United States. That's all gay and bisexual men regardless of their individual sexual histories or HIV risk.
Blood donation restrictions on men who have sex with men
Many countries have laws, regulations, or recommendations that effectively prohibit donations of blood or tissue for organ and corneal transplants from men who have sex with men (MSM), a classification irrespective of their sexual activities with same-sex partners and of whether they identify themselves as bisexual or gay. Temporary restrictions are sometimes called "deferrals", since blood. Official websites use. Share sensitive information only on official, secure websites.
Why Does FDA Ban ‘Gay’ Blood?
A government public health committee voted to uphold the FDA ban, which bars any man who's had sex with another man since from donating. The restriction was imposed in when there were no. California Rep. On Dec. Blood Donation & Gay and Bisexual Men
Last December the Food and Drug Administration announced its intention to modify regulations for gay blood donors. Gay and bisexual men are the only group singled out for the three-month deferral because of who they are. Otherwise, the FDA defers people based on behaviors—doing commercial sex work or injecting drugs—that increase the risk of HIV infection. Debate Over Gay Blood Donations
Blood Donation & Gay and Bisexual Men: A History America’s Blood Centers strongly supports a safe and available blood supply that treats all potential donors with fairness, equality, and respect. The use of rational, science-based deferral periods must be applied fairly and consistently among all blood donors. By the time the FDA banned gay men from giving blood in , James Virgilio had already donated three pints of it, even though he was still a teenager. AIDS is still with us—more than 27, Houstonians live with the virus today—but the rate of infection has slowed dramatically. Science, Politics, and the End of the Lifelong Gay Blood
In recent years, several countries have reevaluated their blood donation policies for gay and bisexual men, recognizing that advances in HIV screening and medical research have made the lifetime ban unnecessary. . 
For Gay Men, a Ban on Blood Donation Ends, But a Stigma
All blood donors are required to fill out a donor history questionnaire that covers a wide range of conditions and practices. Question 34, which asks: "Male donors – From to the present, have you had sexual contact with another male, even once?" That pretty much spells the end of the line for any gay or bisexual man wishing to donate blood. .
Blood Donation Laws for Gay and Bisexual Men
The Houstonian remembers the gay community’s bitter frustration with the FDA’s policy, which imposed a lifetime ban on blood donations by men who had engaged in homosexual activity since .