FDA eases restrictions on gay blood donors amid 'urgent need'
Source: NBC News
CORONAVIRUS
FDA eases restrictions on gay blood donors amid 'urgent need'
The decision to reduce the donation deferral period for men who have sex with men comes as blood drives are being canceled due to the COVID-19 pandemic.
April 2, 2020, 1:39 PM EDT
By Tim Fitzsimons
Amid what it's calling an "urgent need for blood," the Food and Drug Administration 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.
{snip}
Read more: https://www.nbcnews.com/feature/nbc-out/fda-reduces-restrictions-gay-blood-donors-amid-urgent-need-n1175141
Hat tip, Joe.My.God:
FDA Reduces Restrictions On Gay Male Blood Donors
https://www.joemygod.com/2020/04/fda-reduces-restrictions-on-gay-male-blood-donors/
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://www.fda.gov/news-events/press-announcements/coronavirus-covid-19-update-fda-provides-updated-guidance-address-urgent-need-blood-during-pandemic
Link to tweet
dewsgirl
(14,961 posts)CaptYossarian
(6,448 posts)It isn't 1983 anymore.
underpants
(182,635 posts)I guess I was wrong.
sandensea
(21,604 posts)Anything to please his Chumpkins.
Roy Cohn must've been looking up from wherever in hell he is, and said: "Good boy, Donald. You learned well."
IronLionZion
(45,380 posts)it's very easy to overturn important directives and executive orders purely out of spite
brewens
(13,547 posts)activists circulated a huge petition I signed while running a blood drive at the University of Idaho. That just got rid of the lifetime ban. Trump didn't change anything on that that I know of, and I was doing blood donor screenings for the first 18 months he was president.
CaptYossarian
(6,448 posts)underpants
(182,635 posts)I called about it a few weeks ago.
If you lived in Europe for more than three months after 1980 (not sure if theres a cutoff) no giving.
I was in the Army in Germany for 3 years and I told the truth when they asked me.
IronLionZion
(45,380 posts)a lot of Virginians would have served in the military in Europe considering the large Navy presence
underpants
(182,635 posts)I, however, am no longer in the database.
Massacure
(7,515 posts)Synthetic insulin was first manufactured in the 1980s, but people who ever used bovine based insulin cannot donate.
dhill926
(16,317 posts)jesus christ....
angrychair
(8,684 posts)Because I lived in Europe in the late 80s during the mad cow disease outbreak.
It's been over 30 yrs but I'm still told "no" curious if this impacts that as well.
Raven123
(4,792 posts)Sadly, these guys arent the least bit shamed by implementing the rule to begin with.
Response to mahatmakanejeeves (Original post)
geralmar This message was self-deleted by its author.
murielm99
(30,718 posts)ibegurpard
(16,685 posts)If it's good enough for right now it never should have been banned.
Lokilooney
(322 posts)The FDA just found out that Liberace was gay stating "I mean, women loved him! I didn't see that one coming."