Blood
Screening policy on blood donations in Nebraska no longer based on sexual identity
Sep
The Nebraska Community Blood Bank introduced a new donor screening policy Monday that is no longer based on sexual or gender identity.
For years, blood donors were screened based on sexual identity, under a policy specifically targeting gay and bisexual men, but that has now changed.
A new system is being implemented across the country to make it so eligible blood donors will be identified through an Individual Donor Assessment questionnaire instead of based on their sexual preferences.
On the questionnaire, all potential donors will be asked whether they have had new sexual partners or multiple sexual partners in the past three months. If they answer yes to either question, they will then be asked whether they have participated in anal sex within the last three months.
If the answer is yes again, the individual will not be able to donate blood for three months.
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With this process, blood banks are able to asses each potential donor individually and be as inclusive as possible, all while still working to reduce the risk of transfusion-transmitted HIV.
Even though every blood donation is tested for infectious diseases before being used, faulty tests can happen. The questionnaire system is just one additional step to ensure safe blood transfusions.
Other requirements to give blood include having a pulse and blood pressure within acceptable limits, a regular temperature and normal levels of blood hemoglobin. Donors also must meet the minimum age requirement, which is 17 years old in Nebraska, and be free of infections.
The FDA finalized plans for the new policy in May of this year, and the Nebraska Community Blood Bank has been working to complete the adoption of the questionnaire, update computer systems and train staff.
In the past, regulations for male gay and bisexual donors were much more strict.
Amid the worldwide HIV epidemic, the FDA placed a lifetime deferral on blood donations for gay and bisexual men in 1983. It was later lifted in 2015 and changed to a 12-month deferral, then changed again in 2020 to become the current three-month deferral.
“For decades, we have strongly advocated for scientifically based changes to the FDA policies regarding gay and bisexual men, and this recent decision by the FDA is a huge step toward making blood donation more inclusive,” Kathy Geist, vice president at Nebraska Community Blood Bank, said in a press release. “We look forward to welcoming these new donors to our centers and blood drives, especially following a tough summer with low donor turnout.”
Last week, the blood bank declared a blood emergency, saying at the time that it had only a one- to three-day supply.
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