Canada lifts restrictions on gay men donating blood

Canadian health officials have lifted restrictions on gay and bisexual men donating blood following years of LGBTQ and advocacy groups accusing the federal health department of discrimination. Canada Health announced Thursday that it has eliminated the current ban on men from donating blood if they have had sex with another man within the past three months. Instead, Canadian Blood Services, a non-profit charitable organization that provides blood to Canadian healthcare systems, will screen all donors, regardless of gender of sexuality, for high-risk sexual behaviors via a donor-screening questionnaire. “Today’s authorization is a significant milestone toward a more inclusive blood donation system nationwide, and builds on progress in scientific evidence made in recent years,” it said in a statement. The health body made the change at the request of Canadian Blood Services, which has been advocating for the change for more than a decade. According to the charitable organization, male donors will no longer be asked if they’ve had sex with another man and instead all will be screened based on their sexual history.

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