The American Red Cross has adopted the Food and Drug Administration’s (FDA) revised blood donation guidelines, which focus on individual risk factors and aim to reduce restrictions on men who have sex with men. This update eliminates long-standing broad, time-based deferrals based on sexual orientation. The Red Cross has stated that it is now welcoming more donors into its lifesaving mission through the updated eligibility guidelines, as mentioned in their official statement.
It’s worth noting that blood donations to the Red Cross make up approximately 40 percent of all blood and blood components in the United States. In May, the FDA issued new guidance recommending “individual risk-based questions” for all donors, regardless of sexual orientation, sex, or gender. The previous restrictions prevented men who have sex with men from donating blood unless they abstained from sexual activity with another man for three months prior to donation.
Under the new guidance, time-based restrictions have been replaced with guidelines that defer prospective donors who have had a new sexual partner, more than one sexual partner, or engaged in anal sex with said partners within the past three months. Individuals taking pre-exposure prophylaxis (PrEP) for HIV prevention will also be deferred due to concerns that the medication may result in false negatives for viral detection. However, experts acknowledge that the current blood screening technology may not be comprehensive enough to allow those on PrEP to donate.
The FDA has stated that these recommendations are based on the best available scientific evidence and reflect regulations in other countries such as the U.K. and Canada. The new guidelines also extend to monogamous individuals who engage in anal sex with only their monogamous partner, allowing them to donate blood as long as they are not on PrEP. This means that heterosexual individuals may now also be deferred from donating if they report having anal sex with one or more new partners within three months before donating.
The Red Cross sees this as significant progress and celebrates this historic move, emphasizing its commitment to an inclusive blood donation process that treats all potential donors equally and respectfully while ensuring the safety of the blood supply. Another prominent blood donation group, America’s Blood Centers, which provides almost 60 percent of all blood and blood products in the U.S., has also welcomed the updated guidance but has not yet announced a specific implementation date.
In summary, these revised guidelines reflect a shift towards individual risk assessment rather than blanket restrictions based on sexual orientation. The Red Cross and other organizations are committed to ensuring that the blood donation process is inclusive, treating all potential donors with equality and respect while maintaining a safe blood supply.
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