Soon, unimaginable accommodations might be made available to gay and bisexual individuals who want blood donation.
Friday’s announcement from the Food and Drug Administration was important in terms of sexual sensibilities and community donations that can save lives.
It is likely that HIV-infected men who have sex with other men more often than once a month are more likely to get it.
The Associated Press:
According to the guidelines, potential donors will be screened with a new questionnaire that evaluates HIV risk based on sexual behavior.
If the agreement is approved, many gay and bisexual men in monogamous relationships can donate blood.
Is this plan safe? FDA Dr. Peter Marks informed reporters:
“We are certain that the integrity and safety of the blood supply will be preserved. ”
Gay rights groups oppose blanket restrictions on blood donation. They claim that they discriminate against the LGBTQ community.
There was once a lifetime ban. During the 1980s AIDS crisis, America banned all blood donations to gay and bisexual men.
The period of restraint was shortened from a quarter year to one-quarter inch in 2020. According to the AP, it was because donations took a dive in a COVID-controlled environment.
Screening questions currently cover many options:
Potential donors will need to answer questions about their sexual history and injection drug use. All of these factors could lead to the spread of blood-borne diseases.
All blood donors are tested for HIV, Syphilis, Hepatitis C, and Syphilis.
A glimpse of the new protocol.
[M]en who have sex with men will be asked if they have had new or multiple partners in the last three months. Those who answer affirmatively to either question and also report having anal sex would be barred from donating until a later date. The policy would also apply to women who have sex with gay or bisexual men.
Anyone who’s ever tested positive for HIV will still be ineligible.
From a messaging standpoint, the proposed alteration seems sizable. Surely, apart from technological factors, it reflects the culture’s expanding sexual situation.
Although the FDA may be loosening its requirements, it could have marginal practical consequences. Blood donation has been based on the honor principle since it begin.
