Monday, the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) announced it had finalized their new policy that will allow gay and bisexual men to donate blood only if they haven’t had sex or sexual contact with other men in a year.
LGBT advocacy groups have been quick to criticize the new guidelines saying that they do not go far enough and lack clarity.
“The FDA has decided not to bring their policy in line with science and instead continues its longstanding discrimination against gay and bisexual men, people who inject drugs, and people who engage in sex work,” said Russell Roybal, National LGBTQ Task Force’s deputy executive director. “The new policy further fuels negative LGBTQ stereotypes and stigma associated with HIV and AIDS as it stops short of fully lifting an antiquated and scientifically unsound ban established in the height of the epidemic—when not enough was known about the virus. The decision is not based on science, but on fear and ignorance. Modern science has developed tremendously in the last thirty years and important safeguards are now in place that accurately screen blood for HIV. We are disappointed and angry that millions of gay and bisexual men, including myself, are still denied the opportunity to donate blood to save another person’s life.”
The Human Rights Campaign (HRC) responded to the new policy saying that it falls far short of a fully acceptable solution. “This new policy prevents men from donating life-saving blood based solely on their sexual orientation rather than actual risk to the blood supply,” said David Stacy, HRC’s Government Affairs director. “While it’s a step in the right direction toward an ideal policy that reflects the best scientific research, it still falls far short of a fully acceptable solution because it continues to stigmatize gay and bisexual men. It simply cannot be justified in light of current scientific research and updated blood screening technology. We are committed to working towards an eventual outcome that both minimizes risk to the blood supply and treats gay and bisexual men with the respect they deserve.”
Amida Care, a not-for-profit health plan that specializes in providing comprehensive health coverage and coordinated care to New Yorkers with chronic conditions, including HIV and behavioral health disorders issued a statement saying th new guidelines did very little to end the stigma associated with gay men giving blood. “For far too long, gay men have been denied an opportunity to donate life-saving blood due to stigma. This new policy doesn’t do enough to end this stigma,” said Doug Wirth, president and CEO of Amida Care. “Preventing gay men from donating blood is discriminatory and unwarranted. Furthermore, the pervasive stigma of being HIV positive is a barrier to care for many people, making the challenge of ending the AIDS epidemic even more difficult. Health agencies and organizations must embrace zero tolerance for stigmatizing policies, improve the inclusivity of blood donation policies, and enhance access to care and treatment.”
