said that from yesterday, it no longer asks people about their sexual orientation. It will still ask people about their sex lives, but people are asked the same questions regardless of sexuality.“On August 7, the American Red Cross implemented the updated FDA blood donation guidelines which eliminate questions based on sexual orientation. We look forward to welcoming those who may be newly eligible to give through a more inclusive blood donation process.”Blood donation rules have changed to be more inclusive! All donors will answer the same eligibility questions regardless of gender or sexual orientation, and more people can give lifesaving blood with the Red Cross while keeping the blood supply safe.We’ve worked for years… pic.twitter.com/htnLg3AHOmThe US will always require blood donations.
The Red Cross collects around 40% of all the donations needed. It has warned in the past of blood product shortages. A ban on gay men donating blood in the US came into force with the arrival of AIDS in the early 1980s.
This stayed in place for decades. In recent years, with effective screening for HIV in place, the ban was partially lifted. In 2015, the FDA allowed gay men to donate blood if they hadn’t had sex in the previous 12 months.Then, in May of this year, the FDA changed its guidance again.
It said blood donations should be guided by behavior, and not by orientation. It says anyone who has had a new sexual partner, more than one sexual partner in the past three months, and anal sex in the past three months, would be deferred. This might still exclude many gay men, but will also exclude some heterosexual people.
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