FDA Changes Blood Donation Guidelines for Queer Men

After pressure from politicians as well as organizations like GLAAD, the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) has revised their recommendations on blood donations by queer men and the women who have sex with them. Previously, that guideline stipulated that men who had sex with men and the women who had sex with them were barred from donating blood or plasma if they had been sexually active in the prior 12 months. A new announcement today shortens that deferral period to three months.

“Victory!” GLAAD, who had started a petition to end the ban, wrote to Twitter. “After weeks of pressure from GLAAD and others [the FDA] is lowering the deferral period on men who have sex with men from 12 months to 3 months. This victory, however, remains imperfect. We’ll keep pushing for the ban to be lifted entirely.” According to the FDA, the new guidance is being implemented immediately.

This is an excerpt from Out