![]() In 2002, the FDA approved testing that could detect an HIV infection within several weeks of exposure. But despite the approval of new methods for screening blood in the late ’80s-namely the ELISA assay and its subsequent and substantial improvements -which ensure a near-perfect HIV detection rate, the FDA’s stance on MSM blood donations has not significantly wavered. Although the measure was rather strident, the hysteria and lack of scientific knowledge in the early 1980s rationalized this exclusivist emergency measure. The ban was enacted in an effort to prevent blood bank contamination from undetectable HIV-infected blood. The FDA restrictions surrounding blood donations by men who have sex with men (MSM) originated in 1983. ![]() What I found shocked my 17-year-old self. Immensely confused, I promptly Googled, “Why can’t gay men donate blood?” while my heterosexual friends proceeded through the blood donation clinic without me. A Red Cross volunteer swiftly squashed my fear and informed me that I had been deferred due to my recent sexual relation with another man. Terrified, my mind immediately concluded I had some blood illness I was not previously aware of. However, after some quick screening and routine paperwork at the in-school clinic, I was told I was ineligible to donate blood. So, I convinced a few of my friends to donate with me we were to make an outing out of our donation. I took one of the many leaflets and suddenly came to the realization that I had never donated blood before- I didn’t even know my own blood type! As a young and healthy teenager, I decided it was finally time to get my blood drawn I had friends who donated every year, yet it never occurred to me that I could and should donate. So monogamous gay men could start donating blood again sometime in 2023.“Interested in donating blood?” This startling question presented itself as a storm of Red Cross pamphlets filled my high school’s library. The FDA will then review those comments and issue a final rule, probably later this year. The proposed changes in the blood donation rules will be open for public comment for 60 days. So his group will continue to lobby the FDA to further ease restrictions. The misconception is that people on PrEP are promiscuous or have a higher risk of HIV infection - that's categorically false," says Morrison. "When we limit and defer people who are being proactive in their sexual health that stigmatizes them. They argue that some of the remaining restrictions are still unnecessary and stigmatizing, such as the prohibition against donations by people taking medication PrEP to prevent HIV. "These changes are 40-plus years in the making and they're a tremendous leap forward in elevating science over stigma," says Tony Morrison, a spokesperson for the advocacy group GLAAD.īut GLAAD and other groups say the changes still don't go far enough. She stressed that all donated blood is carefully screened for HIV and that testing has improved dramatically to ensure the safety of the blood supply.įor many years, the American Medical Association, the American Red Cross and LGBTQ+ advocacy groups have pushed for a change to the federal rules on blood donations. So this is very welcome by blood centers across the country." "We have advocated for a decade now for a move to an individual risk assessment model. "The blood community is very excited about the proposed changes," says Kate Fry, CEO of America's Blood Centers. Reaction to the news from advocates, medical groups and blood banks has been positive. In crafting the new guidance, the FDA has been looking to the results of a study of about 1,600 gay and bisexual men to develop screening questions that can identify potential donors who are most likely to be infected with HIV. "We will continue to work to make sure that we have policies that allow everyone who wants to donate blood to be able to donate blood within what the science allows to make sure that the blood supply remains safe." Peter Marks, who leads the Center for Biologics Evaluation and Research at the FDA during a briefing Friday. "We are moving now to an inclusive policy for blood donation," said Dr. Blood banks already routinely screen donated blood for HIV. The changes are aimed at addressing criticism that the current policy is discriminatory and outdated, as well as one more barrier to bolstering the nation's blood supply.
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