Hoxworth set to allow gay and bisexual men to donate blood as soon as December

Hoxworth Blood Center leaders expect gay and bisexual men to be permitted to donate blood by the end of the year, following the lifting of a longtime ban imposed by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration.

Dr. David Oh, chief medical officer with Hoxworth, explained the coming changes on The Enquirer’s “That’s So Cincinnati” podcast.

Why was there a ban?

During the early days of the AIDS crisis, blood could not be screened for HIV, which causes AIDS. So the federal government in 1985 banned men who have sex with men from donating blood. The ban was never lifted, despite improvements in blood-screening technology. Today, donated blood is tested for HIV, syphilis, hepatitis, West Nile virus and other blood-borne diseases, according to the American Medical Association.

What happened in May

In May, the FDA updated blood donation guidelines to eliminate restrictions that had prohibited gay and bisexual men from donating blood.

How Hoxworth has handled the change

During the time since the ban was lifted, Dr. Oh said the blood center has worked to train employees and update its donor questionnaire. He hopes the new donation rules will be rolled out by early December, but said they will at least be in place by the end of the year.

“When you come and donate, you are actually strengthening the community,” Dr. Oh said. “You’re an important part of the community and you’re building bonds to the community.”

What are the new rules?

The updated guidelines allow most gay and bisexual men in monogamous relationships to donate blood, without refraining from sex in order to give blood, as has been the rule before the change.

The rules are now the same for everyone. Anyone who has had more than one sexual partner, or anyone who has had anal sex with a new partner three months prior to donating blood will be asked to wait. Previously, men who had sex with men or women who had sex with men who had sex with men had to wait three months before donating blood.

About Hoxworth

Hoxworth is the sole blood provider for all of the hospitals in Cincinnati and in the surrounding tristate area.

How to donate:

Dr. Oh said it’s best to schedule a time to donate blood. Here’s how: https://donateblood.uc.edu/donor/schedules/zip

Listen to Dr. Oh’s full conversation with “That’s So Cincinnati” for free on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, iHeart Media and other podcast listening platforms.