News

Happy Pride Month!

This summer GLAAD, the world’s leading lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender (LGBT) media advocacy organization, is partnering with America’s Blood Centers for the Summer of Giving national blood drive campaign. From end of May to early September, businesses are encouraged to host blood drives and all eligible individuals are encouraged to donate blood. Recent changes in FDA guidance promote fairness and inclusivity in the donation process while still maintaining the safety of the blood supply.

The Community Blood Center (CBC) and blood centers across the nation have implemented the new FDA guidance that expands blood donor eligibility to more LGBTQIA community members. A new screening process has been implemented that focuses on an individual donor assessment. Sexual orientation is no longer a consideration for donor eligibility.

Let’s take a look at what the FDA’s updated eligibility guidelines include:

• Any individual who has had a new sexual partner in the past three months and has engaged in anal sex during that same period is deferred for three months from the most recent sexual contact.
• Any individual who has had more than one sexual partner in the past three months and has engaged in anal sex during the same period is deferred for three months from the most recent sexual contact.
• Any individual who has taken any oral antiviral medication to prevent HIV (PrEP or PEP) is deferred for three months from the most recent dose. These medications may delay detection of HIV and result in false negative test results.
• Any individual who has taken any long-lasting antiviral medication by injection to prevent HIV (PrEP or PEP) is deferred for two years from the most recent injection. These medications may delay detection of HIV and result in false negative test results.
• Any individual who has ever taken any medication (i.e., ART) to treat an HIV infection is permanently deferred.

The donor history questionnaire has been updated to inquire about all donors’ recent or multiple sexual partners within the past three months, regardless of gender. The FDA’s prior guidance included donor eligibility questions that considered the gender of a donor and their sexual partners and required a three-month deferral for any male who has had sex with another male in the past three months.

CBC has implemented this new, gender-neutral questionnaire. All donors are asked the same questions regardless of gender or sexual orientation. Transgender and nonbinary individuals are welcome to donate blood.

These changes reflect the blood community’s commitment to inclusivity while ensuring the safety of the blood supply.

To learn more about the individual donor assessment, click here.