Canadian Blood Services steps to ending ban on gay, bisexual men blood donation ‘overdue’: advocate

A local queer rights group says Canadian Blood Services’ recommendations to end the ban on sexually active gay men donating blood in a submission to Health Canada recognizes how gay men were discriminated against.

“It’s long overdue,” says Qmunity chair member Christopher Vollan.

“It has taken a very, very long time but we’re very happy as an organization that we’ve come to this point. It’s a recognition of discrimination, particularly against queer people.”

Currently, men can only give blood if it has been more than three months since their last sexual contact with a man.

Vollan explains the current protocol shifts focus from the person to their sexuality.

“So it goes from a group of people to broader society and acknowledges that … people within the broader society can participate in risky activities, and not solely because you’re a man having sex with a man,” he explains.

On Wednesday, blood services submitted a proposal, backed by research, suggesting that screening focus on high-risk behaviour – including having multiple sexual partners – by all donors instead.

The blood service said its goal is to stop asking men if they’ve had sex with another man. Adding research it has conducted, and evidence from abroad, shows that the change would pose no safety risk to the blood supply.

Health Canada must approve the recommendation before it can be implemented.

Health Canada has received a submission from Canadian Blood Services to move to sexual behaviour-based screening criteria for all blood and plasma donors, including men who have sex with men. The Department is reviewing the submission: https://t.co/SRpvQ2hRKt

— Health Canada and PHAC (@GovCanHealth) December 15, 2021

The blood service has suggested that the new screening questions be changed to focus on risk, not sexual orientation. All potential donors would be asked if they have had new or multiple sexual partners. If they answer yes, they would then be asked if they have had anal sex.

Getting to this point has been “a long slow battle,” Vollan says because of the stigma around HIV and AIDS.

“But every positive stuff like this is very much celebrated. So we’re just happy that this additional step has finally occurred,” he said.

“It’s a fundamental change. Canada, in so many ways, is leading the charge in support of its queer community and broader community. And this is a fundamental change within Canadian society.”

Federal ministers, including the prime minister, have said they want to speed up an end to the gay blood ban, and Health Canada is expected to respond to the blood-service recommendation by the spring.

In September, two Canadian locations started to allowed gay or bisexual men to donate plasma.