Can gay men donate blood us

Blood donation is now more inclusive for the LGBTQ+ community. Many are now able to donate blood through a new inclusive screening process that expands blood donor eligibility and eliminates questions based on sexual orientation through updated FDA guidelines issued in May With the updated guidelines, most gay and bisexual men who are in a monogamous relationship with a man will no longer have to refrain from sex in order to donate blood.

Both men are gay, and gay men in America have been banned from blood donations since the mids. Back then, it made some scientific sense to keep gay men from donating. HIV, the virus. Are gay and bisexual men now eligible to donate blood? Under the FDA’s individual donor assessment guidance, there are no eligibility criteria related to men who have sex with men.

Fda blood donation restrictions

Under the FDA’s revised guidelines, MSM are eligible to donate blood if they have abstained from intercourse for 3 or more months. The same guidelines also apply to males in a monogamous. Eligibility FAQ's.

Jul 11, Can. One way to make blood donation even more inclusive would be to expand eligibility to those on a medication called PrEP pre-exposure prophylaxis, which is a daily pill containing two medications that prevent HIV-negative patients from being infected, they said. Now the Red Cross will ask everyone the same questions about their sexual history — a "joy and relief" for many queer men.

These components are mainly used for transfusion directly to patients without further processing. Don't you test donated blood for disease? However, support varied across age, religion and country of birth. This led to the FDA instituting a lifetime ban on gay and bisexual men from donating blood as well as men donate who have sex with men who have sex with men.

You may request this update prior to your donation by calling Versiti customer service. Gay change is rooted in years of evidence-based blood and bloods a can gay men commitment to fairness, science, and the health of every donor and every patient. Courtesy of Chris Van Bibber. This year, the FDA announced it would no longer be issuing blanket bans due to sexual orientation and instead screen potential donors on their risk of contracting and transmitting HIV, with the policy going into effect in August.

The blood community relies on accurate HIV testing as part of its multilayered approach to safety. Learn how to host a blood drive in your community with Versiti. I'm a man in a monogamous sexual relationship with another man; can I donate blood? At the heart of everything we do is a simple truth: Every eligible donor matters. Can't the FDA change it? Your compassion strengthens our entire community and gives life to those who need it most.

It didn't faze Anderson as a staff member began poking his arm and hooking him up to said machine, which whirred and hummed in the background. This issue feels personal. This was later shortened to a period of 90 days. He encourages people to donate, donate, donate to keep up with the demand for blood : "The need is constant, but the supply isn't always constant. Jul 14, AM. Anderson, a gay man, proudly wore a Rainbow pride pin — attached to an apropos bright red donate — to his donation appointment earlier this month in downtown Washington, signaling the magnitude of the moment during Pride Month.

These medications are important to sexual health. The FDA guidance based on behavior applies to trans donors regardless of gender identity. You do not need to tell Versiti staff at the donation site that you are transgender.