Experts call on US to abolish “outdated” gay blood donor rules

More than 500 health professionals have signed an official document calling on the US Food and Drug Administration to eliminate the “scientific obsolete ban” on blood donations from homosexual and bisexual men.

Two weeks ago, the FDA Revised blood donation rules Reduce the sexual abstinence period required for men who have sex with men from 12 months to 3 months.

However, the letter said, “FDA’s recent decision to reduce the ban to three months is a step in the right direction, but not enough to revoke an unscientific ban.”

Infectious disease and HIV specialists want a “more scientifically rigorous” approach to screening blood donors that better reflects modern HIV testing techniques.

In their letter, COVID-19 argues that “a serious shortage of national blood products” is the reason why the FDA should further reduce the waiting period for homosexual and bisexual men.

“The lifting of the ban will increase the number of plasma donors in convalescence, a promising treatment for COVID-19,” the letter added.

Modern HIV tests detect antigens a few days after infection

A letter issued by LGBTIQ Group GLAAD states that the new blood test technology can reliably detect HIV in about a week after infection.

Demanding gay men to refrain from sex for three months before blood donation “is based on an old, unscientific, antibody-based HIV test algorithm,” the letter argues.

In the 1980s, the FDA originally prohibited gay and bisexual men from fully donating blood. In 2015, the lifetime ban was revised with a 12-month postponement.

But experts claim that modern HIV tests are looking for antigens that appear in the blood after infection. Old tests sought antibodies, but they appeared long after infection.

“Antigen-based assays can be used to reliably test for HIV and keep the US blood supply safe,” said an expert.

“Policies and protocols focused on targeted screening of specific high-risk behaviors, regardless of sexual orientation, are a much more scientifically rigorous and non-discriminatory approach to maintaining a safe blood supply. is.

“We do not claim to relax standards that could compromise the safety of the blood supply.

“Instead, we uphold the scientifically-promoted standards that maintain the utmost security of the blood supply while at the same time promoting equity in blood donation and reverse historical discrimination.”

FDA is working on individual risk assessment research

FDA Said NBC News “We are committed to collecting scientific data that supports non-exclusive donor deferral policies while ensuring a high level of blood safety.”

“To investigate the scientific justification of such an approach, the FDA is working to launch a pilot study that enrolls approximately 2000 men who are willing to have sex and donate blood with men.” It said.

“This study … may generate data to help FDA determine whether donor questionnaires based on individual risk assessments are as effective as time-based deferrals in reducing risk of HIV.” Hmm.”

Australia also shortens postponement period for gay blood donors

Australia is also in the process of relaxing similar rules for gay blood donors.

The Australian Red Cross blood donation service is currently rejecting gay male donors who have had sex with men in the last 12 months.

However, last week, Therapeutic Goods Administration (TGA) agreed to reduce the period to 3 months after expert review.

“The deferred policy is regularly reviewed and backed by the latest clinical and scientific evidence to enable the Australian Government to maintain one of the world’s safest blood supplies.”

“Lifeblood wants to make it easy for all Australians to donate blood, while ensuring that Australian blood and blood products are as safe as possible for recipients.”

But the LGBTIQ group just.equal says the new three-month abstinence rule will prevent most gay men from donating.

“We call on the TGA and Red Cross blood services to adopt a new policy of screening all donors for sexual safety rather than the sex of their sexual partners,” he said.

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