ST. LOUIS — The Food and Drug Administration (FDA) is considering ending a blanket deferral on blood donations from sexually active gay and bisexual men.
This comes as good news to the LGBTQ+ community on World AIDS Day. Blood banks, which have seen a severe drop in donations since the beginning of the pandemic, support changes in the policy.
As of now, any man who has had sex with another man within the past three months must wait 90 days before donating.
"I think it's very important and groundbreaking is a good way to describe it," Pete Lux, VP of Donor and Patient Services with Impact Life. "There was no scientific evidence for the placement of the deferral in the first place. It was at a time where HIV and AIDS, there wasn't a lot of knowledge about the disease when the deferral was put in place. It's unknown how many people may come in and start donating because of this change."
Lux points out straight donors who are sexually active also carry the risk of contracting HIV. Right now, his organization needs 3,800 donors a week to maintain their supply. Lux said his organization is about 600 donors short of that. Impact Life cares for patients across four Midwest states including Missouri and Illinois. They said each donor's generosity is critical to saving lives.
"Why wouldn't you want to take our blood?" Jordan Braxton of Pride STL asked. "Our blood is just as good as your blood, it's another way to show inclusivity and acceptance."
Vivent Health provided free HIV and STI screenings on World Aids Day at St. Louis Community College Campuses across the area.
"We believe at Vivent that everyone should know their status," Braxton said. "Knowing your status is very important. Sometimes in the African American community and the MSM - men having sex with men - the numbers are on the rise."