On Thursday, the FDA finalized a new rule that allows more gay and bisexual men to donate blood.
Under the new guidelines, regardless of gender or sexual orientation, all prospective donors would be required to complete individual risk assessments.
Blood donors are being asked to wait if they had anal intercourse in the last three months with a new partner or more than one partner.
According to the updated guidelines, the majority of gay and bisexual men who are in monogamous relationships with other men will no longer be required to refrain from sex to donate blood.
In the past, the FDA would only accept donations from men who hadn’t had sex with other men for three months.
“The implementation of these recommendations will represent a significant milestone for the agency and the LGBTQI+ community,” said Dr. Peter Marks, director of the FDA’s Center for Biologics Evaluation and Research.
He added that the agency will continue to monitor the safety of the blood supply.
The AIDS crisis, which started in the early 1980s, is what led to the FDA’s limits on blood donations from men who have sex with other men.
Under the new regulations, blood donors would be required to postpone their donations if they were taking medicine to treat or prevent HIV infections.
