The U.S. Food and Drug Administration has released an updated policy on blood donations, lifting a formal ban on donations from gay and bisexual men. But gay rights activists say the updated guidelines still discriminate against many who should be healthy, eligible donors.
The final guidelines released by the FDA continues to ban men who have had sex with other men over the past year. Although the rules are relaxed, many say the FDA could do better.
"It's a 12-month ban, as opposed to a lifetime ban," said Congressman Brian Higgins, who was pushing for change. "It's arbitrary. It's not risk based. It's not science based."
Some gay rights activists say the updated policy is a double standard, because it continues to work against many gay and bisexual men who may be in monogamous relationships yet, by remaining sexually active, are left out.
Jordan Moll Vigrass, organizer of Blood Is Blood, says a heterosexual with numerous partners within a 12-month period would not be looked upon in the same way as the gay or bisexual man involved with just one committed partner.
"There's still a lot of healthy donors that are not going to be eligible to donate blood because of it," he said. "They (federal officials) really need to focus on an individual-based questionnaire for one person, not a group of people."
Three organizations involved in blood banking - the American Red Cross, America's Blood Centers and AABB - issued a joint statement in response to the FDA's announcement. It reads as follows: "AABB, America’s Blood Centers and the American Red Cross are pleased that the FDA has released its final guidance regarding deferral criteria for men who have had sex with men (MSM).
The top priority of the blood banking community is the safety of our volunteer blood donors and the recipients of blood. AABB, America’s Blood Centers and the Red Cross support the FDA’s decision to change the MSM blood donation policy from a lifetime deferral to a one-year deferral. This policy change aligns the MSM donor deferral period with those for other activities that may pose a similar risk of transfusion-transmissible infections.
While the final FDA guidance describes a pathway for previously deferred donors to give blood, it will take several months for blood centers to update their computer systems, modify processes and procedures, train staff and implement these extensive changes.
Our blood banks will work diligently to determine a process for the reinstatement of eligible donors who were deferred under the previous MSM policy; however, it is important to understand that this process will take time."
The FDA's new policy is consistent with similar guidelines posted in other nations including Great Britain and Japan.
