Can gay men donate blood 20152/4/2024 ![]() The demand for plasma is therefore very high. In the wake of immense public pressure, the Food & Drug Administration’s (FDA) ban on blood donations from gay, bisexual and queer men took effect in the 1980s. These antibodies are used to develop and produce medicine, like Sanquin is currently doing with the coronavirus. A change to blood donation rules for gay and bisexual men in Northern Ireland has been hailed as a substantial step towards full equality. "But viruses can now be better removed from the plasma with all kinds of new innovations."īlood plasma contains many antibodies that cannot be artificially reproduced. The exclusion of gay men as donors was a requirement of the plasma processing industry, Marloes Metaal of Sanquin said to NOS. Sanquin now wants to apply the same criteria for plasma donations. In 2015, the blood bank updated its policies to allow gay men to donate blood, as long as their last sexual contact was at least 4 months ago. Sanquin therefore accepted no gay donors at all, not making a distinction between men with a monogamous sexual relationship and men with multiple sexual partners. Men who have sex with men have an increased risk of blood-borne infections. According to the blood bank, it is safe for gay men to donate, because viruses can now be more easily removed from plasma. Gay men should be allowed to donate blood plasma, according to blood bank Sanquin, who will be discussing this with the Ministry of Public Health and gay interest organization COC on Monday.
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