There is mounting pressure of the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) and the Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) to replace a rule that prevents some gay and bisexual men from donating blood.
A group of 22 U.S. Senators, including Bernie Sanders, Elizabeth Warren and Amy Klobuchar signed a letter asking the agencies to lift the rule they describe as 'discriminatory and wrong'.
The call comes as the American Red Cross warns the nation is facing a 'blood crisis' due to falling levels of donations caused by the pandemic. The organization reports that some hospitals and donation centers only have a day's worth of blood on hand.
Rules against men who have sex with other men (MSM) donating blood date back to the 1980's in the U.S. While restrictions have been eased in recent years, an MSM who has had sex with a man in the past three months - or a woman who has had sex with an MSM during that period - are currently barred from donating blood.
A group of 22 Senators are calling for the FDA and HHS to lift restrictions on gay and bisexual men donating blood. Earlier this week, the Red Cross announced the U.S. was facing a 'blood crisis' with some hospitals and blood centers only having a day's worth of blood on hand. Blood donations have dropped 10% since the pandemic first began. Pictured: A woman in Los Angeles, California, donates blood on December 13
The senators described restrictions on gay men donating blood 'discriminatory and wrong'. Currently an MSM, a man who has sex with other men, are not allowed to donate blood within three months of their last sexual activity. Gay rights advocates argue that the dropping prevalence of HIV/AIDS and the available prevention measures for the diseases make it safe for gay men to donate blood. Pictured: Gay rights advocates at a march held by the Human Rights Campaign, a gay rights advocacy group
'While no single solution can fully solve these challenges, the FDA has the ability to take a simple and science-based step to dramatically increase the donor base and help address this crisis,' the letter reads.
'... any policy that continues to categorically single out the LGBTQ+ community is discriminatory and wrong.'
Earlier this week, the Red Cross declared that the U.S. was in the midst of a 'blood crisis' due to falling donations.
The organization reports that there has been a ten percent reduction in total donations since the COVID-19 pandemic began in America in March 2020.
Schools and universities often serve as crucial parts of blood donation drives, but the total number of drives at educational facilities has dropped 62 percent during the pandemic.
Many other blood
