Gay and bisexual men would be permitted to donate blood under rules proposed Tuesday by the Obama administration.
They are currently banned from blood donations, a policy implemented in 1985 during the height of the AIDS epidemic as health experts worried about allowing HIV to spread.
But the Food and Drug Administration is now considering allowing gay and bisexual men to give blood if they have refrained from sex with another man within the year, saying science shows that extra risks to the public can be eliminated with proper screening.
“There is evidence that the … policy is becoming less effective over time,” the FDA wrote. “In addition, the policy is perceived by some as discriminatory.” The agency also admitted that some men donate in spite of the rules.
Leading medical groups including the American Red Cross and the American Medical Association support lifting the ban as well. The risk of getting an HIV-positive blood transfusion is about one in 1.5 million, as all blood is screened for HIV, according to the Red Cross.
The American Medical Association praised the FDA for “taking a step in the right direction to end the lifetime ban that prohibits men who have had sex with men from ever donating blood.”
The FDA also considered setting a longer celibacy requirement, of five years instead of one, but said there isn’t convincing evidence that would improve safety. The agency will accept public comments on the proposed rules for 30 days.
