The Blood Bank of Delmarvsa is speaking out about proposed changes to the FDA Blood Donation Guidelines and encouraging the community to do the same. The guidelines currently restrict men who have had sex with men in the past three months from donating blood. While this is an improvement from the previous guidelines, the proposed changes move away from time-based deferrals to assessing blood donor eligibility. The proposed guidelines use gender-inclusive, individual risk-based questions to reduce the risk of transfusion-transmitted HIV.
Community Members are encouraged to post comments on the FDA website or write a letter to the FDA at: FDA Office of the Ombudsman, 10903 New Hampshire Avenue, WO 1, Room 4204, Silver Spring, MD, 20993.
Individuals can pick up postcards at the Blood Bank with the following language.
I stand united with blood donors who identiy as LGBTQIA. We all bleed the same.
Currently, the FDA does not allow men who have had sex with men (MSM) in the last three months to give blood. This change occured in April of 202 and was a positive step that reduced deferral periods, however there is more research to be done.
I understand that the FDA is currently doing studies to determine if gender neutral and other measures of risk would be achievable in revising the donor questionnaire. I fully support this study and sign my name to this today, encouraging the FDA to act quickly.
I want a safe blood supply that still allows willing gay and bisexual men to save lives by giving blood.
Thank you the Blood Bank of Delmarva for standing on the side of science and with the LGBTQIA community. We encourage community members to submit your own written comments.