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Sher said the agency is taking an evidence-based approach to the change based on research in Canada and around the world, including epidemiological studies and statistical modelling. He said the questions were justified because “anal sex is a significantly higher risk factor” for HIV. Graham Sher, CEO of Canadian Blood Services, acknowledged in a briefing that some donors may take offence at being asked about their sexual partners and whether they have had anal sex.īut he said all donors, regardless of their sexual orientation, would be asked the same questions about “high-risk sexual behaviour,” not just men who have sex with men. NDP MPs Randall Garrison and Blake Desjarlais, who are the critics for LGBTQ rights, said in a joint statement that “finally allowing men who have sex with men to donate blood is a long-overdue victory for men who have sex with men, community members and allies who have worked tirelessly for years to push the government to act.”ĭr. “After years of delay, we are still at least five months away from this change taking effect.” “Finally, after multiple delays, Canada is one step closer to ending the long-standing and discriminatory blood ban in this country,” Duncan said. Ontario MP Eric Duncan, the first openly gay man to be elected as a Conservative, said “discrimination like this should not take this long to resolve.” “This change is a significant step, but we know we still have considerable work to do to build trust and repair relationships with LGBTQ communities, and we commit to doing so.” “This criteria change is science-informed and will enable us to be more inclusive about who can donate while, as always, ensuring safe, adequate blood and plasma supplies for patients in Canada,” she said. Liberal MP Rob Oliphant, who shared that his first partner had died of AIDS 30 years ago, said Thursday the change in donation rules now meant that “my blood is as good as anyone's blood in this room.” He called it a step forward in human rights and “ending stigma.”Ĭatherine Lewis, a spokeswoman for Canadian Blood Services, said the agency knows it needs to restore connections with the LGBTQ communities over having had the policy in place. He said his government invested $5 million to research the safety aspects of changing blood donation rules and multiple scientific reports had proven “our blood supply will continue to be safe.” Trudeau said Thursday that the policy should have ended at least a decade ago. The Liberals promised in both the 20 elections to eliminate it entirely. The deferral period dropped to one year in 2016 and then three months in 2019. The Liberals promised to end the ban on men who have sex with men donating blood during the 2015 election campaign that brought the Trudeau government to power. That was when thousands of Canadians were exposed to HIV and hepatitis after receiving contaminated blood products. Long overdue!”Ī lifetime ban had been put into place in 1992 as part of the fallout from the tainted blood scandal in the 1980s. “We definitely welcome today's decision by Health Canada to authorize Canadian Blood Services to end their discriminatory blood and plasma donation ban targeting Two-Spirit, gay, bisexual, and queer men, trans women, and other men who have sex with men. “Finally!” Egale Canada wrote on Twitter.
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It also asks potential donors if they have been tattooed or engaged in intravenous drug use, as a way to help prevent diseases, including HIV, being transmitted through a transfusion. The federal blood agency said focusing on sexual behaviour, not orientation, will allow it to more reliably assess the risk of infections, such as HIV, that can be transmitted through transfusions. If they have, they would need to wait three months since that activity before donating blood.
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If yes, they would then be asked whether they have had anal sex with any of those partners. “The current approach was discriminatory and wrong, and this is a significant milestone in moving forward on both the safety of our blood supply but also non-discriminatory practices.”Ĭanadian Blood Services had asked Health Canada to allow it to scrap questions about gender or sexuality when screening potential donors and ask about higher-risk sexual behaviour instead.īy the end of September, potential donors will be asked if they have had new or multiple sexual partners in the last three months, no matter their gender or sexual orientation. “It's been a long time coming,” Prime Minister Justin Trudeau said Thursday in Ottawa. OTTAWA - Health Canada has approved an end to policy that restricts men who have sex with men from donating blood products for three months, a change welcomed by LGBTQ advocates but criticized - including by the prime minister, who promised years ago to end it - as long overdue.