FDA lifts ban on homosexual blood donors

After a 30-year-old ban on blood donations from men who have had sex with men (MSM), the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) has updated its blood donor deferral policy to accept blood donations by gay men who have abstained from sex for at least 12 months.

"The FDA's responsibility is to maintain a high level of blood product safety for people whose lives depend on it," FDA Acting Commissioner Dr Stephen Ostroff said. "We have taken great care to ensure this policy revision is backed by sound science and continues to protect our blood supply."

The FDA, who have helped reduce the rate of HIV transmission via blood transfusion from one in 2,500 to one in 1.47 million, says that the recent changes in policy reflect the latest scientific evidence on reducing the risk of HIV transmission by blood and blood products.

"In reviewing our policies to help reduce the risk of HIV transmission through blood products, we rigorously examined several alternative options, including individual risk assessment," Deputy director of the FDA's Center for Biologics Evaluation and Research Dr. Peter Marks said. "Ultimately, the 12-month deferral window is supported by the best available scientific evidence, at this point in time, relevant to the U.S. population. We will continue to actively conduct research in this area and further revise our policies as new data emerge."

The United States joins several other countries, including the United Kingdom and Australia, who have 12-month blood donation deferral periods for MSM.