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FDA recommends policy change allowing blood donations from MSM
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The FDA recently recommended that men who have sex with men be allowed to donate blood, provided that their last sexual contact was at least 1 year ago.
Based on a reevaluation of its current blood donor deferral policy of MSM in light of recent data, the FDA announced that measures will be taken to recommend a change to the blood donor deferral period for MSM from indefinite deferral to one year since the last sexual contact.
“The recommended change is consistent with the recommendation of an independent expert advisory panel, the [Health and Human Services] Advisory Committee on Blood and Tissue Safety and Availability, and will better align the deferral period with that of other men and women at increased risk for HIV infection,” Margaret Hamburg, MD, commissioner of the FDA, said in a press release.
Furthermore, in collaboration with the NIH’s National Heart Lung and Blood Institute, the FDA has undertaken the creation of a national blood surveillance system that will allow the agency to monitor the effect of this policy change and ensure the continued safety of the national blood supply.
The FDA plans to issue draft guidance on the blood donor policy in 2015, at which time the agency will accept and review public commentary prior to issuing final guidance.