Overview

• The FDA has updated its blood donation policy to allow some gay and bisexual men to donate blood based on individual risk assessments rather than blanket restrictions.
• The Red Cross will no longer automatically defer gay and bisexual men and will instead screen all donors for high-risk sexual activities.
• The new policy replaces time-based deferrals for men who have sex with men with risk-based deferral questions for all donors.
• Some advocates argue that restrictions on individuals taking PrEP are still discriminatory and not based fully on science.
• While not perfect, the Red Cross sees the new FDA guidance as an important step towards a more inclusive and equitable blood donation process.