New FDA Guidelines Allow Gay, Bisexual Men in Monogamous Relationships to Donate Blood

The change, part of a yearslong effort to reverse discriminatory restrictions, shifts the focus from sexual orientation to sexual activity in determining donation eligibility.

New FDA guidelines now allow gay and bisexual men in monogamous relationships to donate blood without abstaining from sex, a significant change from previous restrictions.
The guidelines were finalized in May and have been adopted by many blood centers, including Bloodworks Northwest, where Dylan Smith, a gay man, was able to donate for the first time.
The FDA's new guidelines are part of a yearslong effort to reverse restrictions that were designed to protect the blood supply from HIV, but were criticized as discriminatory.
The American Red Cross, which accounts for about 40% of blood and blood component donations in the U.S., began implementing the new guidance in August.
The change puts the emphasis on sexual activity rather than on sexual orientation, with potential donors screened with a new questionnaire evaluating their HIV risk based on sexual behavior, partners and other factors.