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'This 23-year-old student is challenging Ireland's gay blood donation ban'. More gay men are giving blood and plasma for the first time in their lives after rules were relaxed by the Food and Drug Administration earlier this year. In 2019, the Canadian government said that gay men had to abstain from sex for three months to be able to donate. Now, all restrictions have been removed. 'Blood donation: Rule change means more gay and bisexual men can give blood'. Over time, that policy changed to require men to abstain from sex for a certain period - even a number of years - to be able to donate. Health Canada called the step a "significant milestone" in a statement, adding that it builds on "progress in scientific evidence" in recent years.Ĭanada imposed a lifetime ban on gay men donating blood to others in the 1980s. Trudeau said his government spent 5 million Canadian dollars (US $3.9 million €3.7 million) on research into the safety of blood donors and donation rules. The policy change shortens the deferral criteria for Men Who Have Sex with Men (MSM) from twelve months to three months. He added that the removal of restrictions took too long but that research "simply wasn't done by previous governments." Food and Drug (FDA) announced changes to its donor eligibility policy titled: Revised Recommendations for Reducing the Risk of Human Immunodeficiency Virus Transmission by Blood and Blood Products. Gay and bisexual men in the United States are no longer barred from donating blood, under a policy change. "This should have been done 10 years ago, 15 years ago," Trudeau said at a press conference. FDA: Gay, bisexual men can donate blood, but only after a year without sex with men. Prime Minister Trudeau said it was "good news" but had taken too long. In its own press release issued March 17, the Red Cross expressed concern about shortages in blood supply, stating that nearly 2,700 blood drives had been cancelled due to the pandemic and 86,000 fewer samples collected as a result.Let's talk about sex-ed Canada hails 'good news' But we can outline the scientific evidence backing each side of this ongoing debate. "We expect that the updated guidance and alternative procedures will help increase the number of donations moving forward, while helping to ensure adequate protections for donor health and maintaining a safe blood supply for patients," the agency said. We take no position on whether the FDA’s blood donation policy is discriminatory against gay and bisexual men. Deferral periods for those previously considered at risk of Creutzfeldt-Jakob Disease or Variant Creutzfeldt-Jakob Disease exposure have additionally been eliminated. Thursday's recommendations presented new criteria for people who have recently traveled to malaria-endemic regions (if they are residents of countries where the disease is non-endemic) as well. For both groups, the new deferral period is three months instead of 12 months. In December 2015, the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) moved from a lifetime ban on gay and bisexual men donating blood to a deferral of one year for any. Anal sex in a heterosexual relationship is not questioned, neither is there any questioning of casual hetero sex, promiscuity or lesbian / bi women.
CAN GAY MEN DONATE BLOOD IN USA UPDATE
The FDA's update also loosened blood donation restrictions applied to women who have had sex with gay or bisexual men as well as donors who have recently acquired tattoos or piercings. Anyone who has had sex in exchange for money or drugs can't donate blood, ever. We'll keep pushing for the ban to be lifted entirely. This victory, however, remains imperfect. Victory! After weeks of pressure from GLAAD and others, is lowering the deferral period on men who have sex with men from 12 months to 3 months.