New rules would mean more gay men could donate blood
If new regulations go into effect, more gay men could be eligible to be blood donors. Credit: The American Red Cross
The Food and Drug Administration, which sets the rules for blood donation, is proposing to ease restrictions that have prevented many gay men from being donors.
Risk of whether a potential donor has been exposed to HIV no longer would be based on gender or sexual orientation. Under the proposed new guidelines, a prospective donor may be eligible to donate if the person does not report having new or multiple sexual partners and anal sex in the past three months. The person also must meet the rest of the eligibility criteria.
Among questions to be asked would be the types of sexual activity you have, not who you are.
This is a good thing. This opens up blood donation and avoids unnecessary restriction. It’s in keeping with what we know about HIV and it reflects the greater sensitivity of tests to pick up HIV earlier. It also treats HIV as a sexual health issue and one that is not restricted to gay men.
The FDA announced the proposal on Jan. 27. There’ll be time for comments and there could be some revisions before the rules are final.
Under the proposal:
Time-based deferrals for men who have sex with men (MSM) and women who have sex with MSM would be eliminated.
The donor history questionnaire would be revised to ask all prospective donors about new or multiple sexual partners in the past three months.
Prospective donors who report having a new sexual partner, or more than one sexual partner in the past three months, would then be asked about a history of anal sex in the past three months.
All prospective donors who report having a new sexual partner or more than one sexual partner and had anal sex in the past three months would be deferred from donation.
The new rules would have deferrals of various lengths of time for people taking oral PrEP or PEP or injectable PrEP. The FDA is telling people to keep taking the medication, and it will continue to track the latest data relevant to PrEP and blood donation.
Overall, the new policy would move HIV into the current era. Combining a sexual history with better testing to pick up HIV in its earliest stages makes the blood supply safer.