RIDOH’s Dr. Chan to donate blood to mark updated FDA guidelines for LGBTQ+ community

(WJAR) — Rhode Island Department of Health Consultant Medical Director Dr. Philip Chan will be donating blood on Wednesday to mark the updated FDA guidelines for members of the LGBTA+ community.

He will donate at the Rhode Island Blood Center in Providence.

RIBC started the new donor screening process on Monday.

It is no longer based on sexual or gender identity and instead focuses on a number of sexual partners and behaviors in the last three months.

In a statement, the Rhode Island Blood Center said:

“We look forward to welcoming these new donors to our centers and blood drives, especially following a tough summer with low donor turnout. We also recognize this is just the beginning in making blood donation more inclusive.”