Men who have sex with men can now donate blood without being discriminated by their sexual orientation under the American Red Cross’ updated screening process.
The implementation of the federal rule change made earlier this year will allow gay and bisexual men to donate blood for the first time since the HIV/AIDS epidemic began. The Food and Drug Administration made the shift earlier this year to acknowledge that a donor’s sexual orientation does not pose a threat to the nation’s blood supply.
Instead of asking about a donor’s sexual orientation, the Red Cross will now ask any would-be donor, to wait three months after having had anal sex with a new or multiple sexual partners.
Statistically, anal sex has a significantly higher chance of transmitting HIV than vaginal or oral sex, the FDA determined in making its decision. Condoms also have a higher failure rate in anal sex compared to other forms of sex. Donors will be asked to report their gender, but can name the one with which they identify at the time of donation.
Federal rule change:FDA plans to lift blanket restrictions on blood donations from gay men
“We understand how blood donation deferral related to anal sex may feel like it unfairly targets gay and bisexual men,” a statement on the Red Cross website reads. “Please know, the Red Cross is committed to achieving further progress and will continue to provide data to the FDA in support of making blood donation even more inclusive.”
Those who had anal sex in the last three months can still be eligible to donate if they did not have sex with someone new or with multiple partners during that timeframe, the Red Cross states.
The American Red Cross, which provides more than 40% of the nation’s blood products, currently lists the need for blood products as “critical.”
“We’re proud to welcome more donors into our lifesaving mission and are committed to working with the FDA to make blood donation an even more inclusive process,” The Red Cross shared Monday.
What about those taking PrEP?
Those taking oral medications such as PrEP and PEP to prevent HIV infection will be asked to defer donation for three months after their last dose. Nonetheless the agency said people taking those medications should not stop in order to donate blood. If someone takes injectable PrEP to prevent HIV infection, they’ll have to wait two years after their shot before donating.
“The waiting period is required due to these drugs interfering with viral replication and thus possibly altering the detectability of diagnostic and screening tests for HIV, including extending the window period prior to detectable infection or a delay in producing antibodies,” the Red Cross wrote.
The FDA promised to continue tracking the latest data on PrEP and blood donation.
When were gay and bisexual men restricted from blood donations?
Blood donation guidelines for men who have sex with men were first set as the HIV/AIDS crisis unfolded in the 1980s and initially constituted a lifetime ban for gay men. In 2015, the guideline was revised to a one-year restriction, but LGBTQ rights advocates continued to consider the restrictions discriminatory.
Early in the COVID-19 pandemic, the FDA eased the restrictions to meet the demand for donated blood, reducing the 12-month waiting period to a three-month waiting period.
