COLORADO SPRINGS — The FDA’s new blood donation guidelines are now in effect. It makes it easier for gay and bisexual men to donate blood, and the change will have a large impact on the local LGBTQ+ community.
The last time Joseph Shelton, who lives in Colorado Springs, donated blood was when he was in high school.
“I came out with my sexuality my senior year of high school. I first started donating blood probably around my sophomore year of high school,” said Shelton.
Shelton said he stopped donating blood because of the questions that he had to answer before donating. He also didn’t feel comfortable sharing his sexuality with the blood bank or organization conducting the blood donation, prior to his family knowing about his sexuality.
“I just didn't feel comfortable answering that question of, am I a homosexual man? Or if I have had relations with a male individual,” said Shelton.
Under the new FDA policy, all potential donors will now answer the same questions regardless of their gender or sexual orientation. Everyone will be assessed based on their individual risk factors, including risk for HIV.
“I am relieved that this has been opened up, where they're getting more lenient on their guidelines,” said Raymond Figge, another member of the local LGBTQ+ community.
The old FDA guidance required gay and bisexual men to wait to donate blood until three months after their last sexual contact with another man.
Figge weighed in on the old policy, calling it discriminatory against gay and bisexual men.
“Why would that have any bearing on my ability to donate blood? When there are not these questions for ordinary, heterosexual men or even women for that matter,” said Figge. “Sexually-born diseases can be transferred through every community, not just the gay.”
The American Red Cross has implemented and updated their guidelines under the new ruling. Vitalant, a non-profit blood bank, plans to update their donor eligibility when their computer systems are updated and their staff are trained.
Meanwhile, Shelton said he plans to donate blood when he can.
“It makes it where people, no matter what their identities are in the LGBTQ+ community or heterosexual community, they can donate blood without the thought of being turned away for their identity,” said Shelton.
The FDA says the new policy reflects the latest scientific evidence and is in line with rules currently in place in the U.K. and Canada. The FDA hopes the change will lead to a boost in blood donations.
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