City Council urges FDA to lift ban on blood donations

Between 1983 and 2015, the United States Food and Drug Administration (FDA) imposed a lifetime ban on blood donations on men who have sex with men (MSM), and in 2015 revised its policy to a twelve-month blood donation deferral for gay men.

This week, the Council voted to adopt a resolution offered by Councilor Edwards urging the FDA to lift this ban.

Critics of the original ban and 2015 policy have noted that the policies are not based in empirical studies and are inconsistent with allowable blood donation by heterosexual individuals with multiple partners, and that regardless of who is donating, all donated blood is tested for infectious diseases.

Blood donation is necessary for the health and recovery of patients across the United States and the world, supporting medical treatment for infants and children, adults and the elderly, cancer patients, victims of car accidents, violence and other traumatic injuries. In this time when there may be even greater need for donated blood, Councilor Edwards believes discriminatory bans on blood donation should be lifted.