Washington. The American Red Cross announced that it will now allow gay and bisexual men to donate blood without restrictions based on their sexual orientation.
“The Red Cross celebrates this historic step 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,” he stated. the humanitarian organization in a statement.
The change was made possible by an update to the guidelines announced in May by the US Food and Drug Administration (FDA). The goal is to expand the number of people who can donate.
From now on all donors must answer the same questions to be able to donate blood.
All potential donors will be asked if they have had new or multiple sexual partners in the last three months.
If the answer is affirmative, they will be asked if they have had anal sex during this time. If they answer yes, they will be asked to defer donating blood.
Penetrative anal sex has a higher risk of contracting many sexually transmitted diseases because the lining of the anus is easily damaged, making it more vulnerable to infection.
Before, homosexuals were excluded from these postponements.
Andrew Goldstein, a Los Angeles cancer researcher who was a regular blood donor in his younger years before earlier FDA policies barred him because he was gay, is pleased with the change.
“It means a lot to me that I can do it again,” said Goldstein, who participated in a 2021 clinical study that paved the way for the new policy.
Every two seconds, a person in the United States needs blood or platelets for surgery, cancer treatment, chronic illness or injury, according to the Red Cross.
