Gay, bisexual men can donate blood as revised FDA rules take effect

Aug. 7 (UPI) -- The American Red Cross is changing its donor screening policy to allow gay and bisexual men to donate blood under new FDA rules that took effect Monday.

The humanitarian organization announced its change, removing a historic barrier in the donation process by not considering sexual orientation as a risk factor.

Other screening questions will remain the same -- for everyone. Potential donors will be asked about risk factors including sexual activity -- whether they have had sexual contact with a new partner in the past three months or had anal sex, which would require them to wait three months before donating.

The Red Cross said the decision is supported by decades of data collection and assessments, including the ADVANCE study, which was funded by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration.

The FDA approved new rules for blood donation in May that eliminated waiting periods on the basis of sexual orientation and brings the United States in line with countries like Canada and the United Kingdom.

The study found that blood donor history questions could identify sexually active gay or bisexual men who had "lower-risk behaviors" that would be eligible to donate.

Lower-risk behaviors means the potential donor has not had sexual contact with a new partner in the past three months.

"There's so much in the world that you can't help with, and you sometimes have to see people going through difficult times, but something like giving blood feels like something so small that you can do, and it means a lot to me that I'll be able to do that again," Andrew Goldstein, a cancer researcher from Los Angeles, said in a statement.

In the ADVANCE study, more than 66% of gay or bisexual men reported only one sexual partner and no anal sex. Sixty-nine percent reported no new partners or anal sex in the past three months.

According to the Red Cross, every 2 seconds someone in the United States needs blood and or platelets. The average blood cell transfusion is about three units of red blood cells, and about 29,000 units are needed every day. A car accident can require a person to receive as many as 100 units of blood.

"The Red Cross celebrates this historic move as significant progress and remains committed to achieving an inclusive blood donation process that treats all potential donors with equality and respect while maintaining the safety of the blood supply," the Red Cross said in a statement.