(Gateway Pundit) The Gateway Pundit reported earlier this year that the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) proposed new guidelines that would remove the restriction that gay and bisexual men in monogamous relationships abstain from sex before donating blood.
This proposal is in line with policies in place in countries like the United Kingdom and Canada.
Under the new proposed guidelines, time-based deferrals for men who have sex with men (MSM) and women who have sex with MSM would be eliminated.
“These draft recommendations are based on the FDA’s careful review of available information, including data from other countries with similar HIV epidemiology that have instituted this approach, as well as ongoing surveillance of the U.S. blood supply. Based on the available data, the agency believes the implementation of the proposed individual risk-based questions will not compromise the safety or availability of the blood supply,” the agency continued.
During the AIDS crisis in the 1980s, the FDA banned men who had sex with other men from ever donating blood again. In 2015, the agency eased the rule, making it possible for gay and bisexual males to donate blood if they had not engaged in sexual activity during the previous year, according to CNBC.
On Thursday, the FDA finalized the new guidelines that allow gay and bisexual men in monogamous relationships to donate blood without abstaining from sex.
The old regulation stated that men who engage in sexual activity with other men should wait three months before donating blood.
Under the revised guidelines, all potential donors, regardless of sexual orientation, sex, or gender, will be screened for HIV using a new questionnaire.
“The revised recommendations in this guidance reflect the Agency’s current thinking on donor deferral recommendations for individuals with increased risk for transmitting HIV infection,” FDA said in a statement.
“Based on our review of the available science, we recommend eliminating the screening questions specific to men who have sex with men (MSM and women who have sex with MSM. Instead, we recommend assessing donor eligibility using the same individual risk-based questions relevant to HIV risk for every donor regardless of sex or gender,” the agency added.
Below is the new guideline:
