After years of restrictions that prohibited gay and bisexual men from donating blood, Dylan Smitha worker with six years of experience at a blood donation center in Washington, became one of the first to take advantage of the recent changes in Food and Drug Administration (FDA) policies.
Since May of this year, regulations have been adjusted to allow blood donation to gay and bisexual men in monogamous relationships, marking significant progress compared to the restrictions imposed during the AIDS crisis in the 1980s.
As reported by El País, the FDA began to relax restrictions in 2015, reducing the period of sexual abstinence required prior to donation from one year to three months for those who had relationships between men. However, the ban continued until May of this year, when gay and bisexual men in monogamous relationships were allowed to donate blood.
Despite this progress, some limitations remain. Potential donors who have had anal sex with new partners in the last three months will not be able to donate until a later date. Likewise, those who have given HIV test positive They are not eligible for donation. The restriction also applies to those taking medications to prevent HIV, known as PrEP, since these can delay the detection of the virus.
The safety of donated blood remains a priority, and Every donation undergoes extensive analysis for HIV, hepatitis C, syphilis and other infectious diseases.
This change in policies not only represents a step towards equity in blood donation, but also offers individuals like Dylan Smith the opportunity to contribute meaningfully to the blood supply, bringing a new sense of inclusion and participation in the donor community.
2023-12-28 18:01:59
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