WASHINGTON (AP) — Homosexual and bisexual males in monogamous relationships can provide blood within the U.S. with out abstaining from intercourse underneath up to date federal well being tips that target donors’ habits, not their sexual orientation.
The Meals and Drug Administration tips finalized Thursday ease decades-old restrictions designed to guard the blood provide from HIV. The company introduced plans for the change in January and mentioned this week the brand new strategy can now be carried out by blood banks.
The up to date tips eliminate a requirement that males who’ve intercourse with males abstain from intercourse for 3 months previous to giving blood.
As an alternative, all potential donors — no matter sexual orientation, intercourse or gender — will likely be screened with a brand new questionnaire that evaluates their particular person dangers for HIV based mostly on sexual habits, latest companions and different components. Potential donors who report having anal intercourse with new companions within the final three months will likely be barred from giving till a later date.
The FDA mentioned the brand new coverage displays the newest scientific proof and is consistent with guidelines within the U.Ok. and Canada.
It’s the newest transfer by the FDA to broaden donor eligibility, with the potential to spice up donations.
“The implementation of those suggestions will symbolize a big milestone for the company and the LGBTQI+ neighborhood,” Dr. Peter Marks, director of the FDA’s heart for organic therapies, mentioned in an announcement.
Homosexual rights teams have lengthy opposed blanket restrictions on who can provide blood, saying they discriminate. Medical societies together with the American Medical Affiliation have additionally mentioned such exclusions are pointless given advances in blood testing.
Anybody who has ever examined optimistic for HIV will proceed to be ineligible to donate blood. These taking tablets to forestall HIV by means of sexual contact may also nonetheless be barred, till three months after their final dose. The FDA famous that the medicines, referred to as PrEP, can delay the detection of the virus in screening exams.
The Human Rights marketing campaign, an LGBTQ+ advocacy group, known as Thursday’s announcement “an actual step ahead” in an announcement. It added that extra ”can and have to be finished so that folks taking PrEP can donate as effectively.”
The FDA units necessities and procedures for U.S. blood banks. All potential donors reply questions on their sexual historical past, injectable drug use and any latest tattoos or piercings, amongst different components that may contribute to the unfold of blood-borne infections. Donated blood is then examined for HIV, hepatitis C, syphilis and different infectious ailments.
In 2015, the FDA dropped the lifetime ban on donations from males who’ve intercourse with males and changed it with a one-year abstinence requirement. Then in 2020, the company shortened the abstinence interval to a few months, after donations plummeted throughout the COVID-19 pandemic.
Regulators mentioned there was no unfavorable influence on the blood provide because of these modifications.
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The Related Press Well being and Science Division receives assist from the Howard Hughes Medical Institute’s Science and Instructional Media Group. The AP is solely liable for all content material.
