That guidance persisted until late 2015, when the feds loosened the policy to allow men who have sex with men to donate if they were celibate for a year. The FDA enacted its lifetime ban for gay and bisexual men to donate blood or plasma in 1983 as the AIDS crisis was mounting. American Red Cross ApThough the Red Cross says its "immediate need" has been addressed and there is no longer a critical shortage of blood, that doesn't negate the fact that millions of men are still ineligible to donate. We are now working to implement these changes from the FDA as soon as possible.
We understand the hurt this policy has caused to many in the LGBTQ+ community and also believe blood donation eligibility shouldn't be determined by sexual orientation. Its solution? Sexually active gay and bisexual men may now donate after being celibate for three months, as opposed to the previous mandate of one year. On April 2, the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) responded to the increased demand for blood and plasma by loosening its controversial restrictions for men who have sex with men in order to expand the pool of prospective eligible donors. As part of an experimental treatment, a person who has already recovered from the virus can donate antibody-rich plasma that can be transfused into critically ill COVID-19 patients in the hope of aiding their bodies in defeating the virus. Hospitals are also desperate for donations of blood plasma, which has become important in the fight against COVID-19. Thanks to stay-at-home orders, more than 13,000 Red Cross blood drives were canceled as of April 1, resulting in nearly 400,000 fewer blood donations, according to a spokesperson. "But I'm unable to."ĭonations of blood and blood plasma have been in high demand since coronavirus began rapidly spreading across the U.S. "If I could help somebody by, I would definitely do it," Restrepo says. To date, more than 40,000 Floridians have contracted COVID-19, and at least 1,700 have died. Now, in the midst of another crisis where Restrepo's donations could be critical for those in need, he can't help but be frustrated.
"My community is suffering, and I don't even have the power to help them out." "I kind of felt powerless because I was like, 'This is literally my community,'" he says. In the aftermath, demand for blood donations soared as dozens of gravely wounded clubgoers filled hospital beds, but Restrepo was unable to contribute. Restrepo, who has been with his husband for five years, says the conundrum reminds him of the days after the shooting at Pulse, a gay nightclub in Orlando. over the past three decades: He's gay.ĭespite newly revised federal guidelines easing restrictions for gay and bisexual men, donation sites across the nation, including at least a dozen in South Florida, have yet to adopt and implement the measures - a drawn-out process that officials say could take the rest of the year. But the 25-year-old Florida International University student can't donate blood for the same reason millions of other men have been unable to give blood in the U.S. Once again, Kevin Restrepo feels powerless.Īs the demand for blood and plasma soars in the wake of the novel coronavirus outbreak, Restrepo's universally accepted O-negative blood could help someone in dire medical straits.