Joe.My.God. LGBT News
NBC News reports:
Amid what it’s calling an “urgent need for blood,” the FDA revised its blood donor guidelines on Thursday, significantly easing the restrictions on men who have sex with men.
The new guidelines reduce the donation deferral period for sexually active gay and bisexual men from 12 months to three, meaning these otherwise healthy men will now have to abstain from same-sex sexual activity for 90 days before they are eligible to donate blood.
Other 12-month deferral periods have also been shortened under the new guidelines, including those for people who have traveled to areas with certain endemic diseases, those who have engaged in injection drug use and people who have participated in commercial sex work.
NEW guidance from @US_FDA today on blood donor eligibility to help address the urgent need to #GiveBlood during #COVID19 without compromising the safety of the blood supply.
More: https://t.co/V8dOxjge1n pic.twitter.com/RSW2y96liP
— U.S. Surgeon General (@Surgeon_General) April 2, 2020
An important point from our just finished Q and A from reporters- UK and Canada have already adopted changes to their deferral policies and seen NO changes in the safety of their blood supply!
These changes are scientifically based, safe, and will save lives!
— U.S. Surgeon General (@Surgeon_General) April 2, 2020
BREAKING: The FDA updated blood donation rules for LGBTQ+ men, citing “urgent” need for blood during the #COVID19 pandemic. Men can donate after 3 months of no sexual activity with another man, down from 12 months. pic.twitter.com/XnQ4IXV2te
— AJ+ (@ajplus) April 2, 2020