Canada lifts restrictions on blood donations by gay and bisexual men
Ottawa: In a landmark decision, Canada government has lifted restrictions on blood donations by gay and bisexual men and Blood Services will introduce a sexual behaviour-based donor-screening questionnaire that will apply to all donors of blood and plasma.
Canadian Blood Services has indicated it expects to implement the new donor screening approach by September 30, 2022.
Health Canada’s authorization is based on a thorough assessment of evidence supporting the safety of the revised donor screening. To help inform its review, Health Canada convened a group of scientific and medical experts knowledgeable in the field of blood safety for a one-day meeting, which took place April 13, 2022, to seek input on specific technical questions, government said.
