MSM Blood Donor Controversy - Criticism of The Restrictions

Criticism of The Restrictions

Objections to the restrictions are generally based on the idea that improvements in testing and other safeguards have reduced the risk from transfusion transmitted HIV to an acceptable level. Blood shortages are common, and critics of the policies point out that excluding healthy donors only makes the problem worse. "Ideal" inventories are at least a three day supply, but many blood centers struggle to meet this demand.

Other criticism stems from the fact that the ban is a blanket ban encompassing all men who have had sex with another man, even once during their lifetime. Critics claim that a promiscuous heterosexual male is a higher-risk donor than a gay or bisexual man in a monogamous relationship, for example a civil partnership in the United Kingdom, but the former will usually be allowed to donate blood. Furthermore, other high-risk activities such as having sexual contact with anyone who has used needles to take drugs not prescribed by their doctor have a set deferral period before the donor is allowed to donate blood, whereas MSM donors are deferred indefinitely. Female donors who have sexual contact with MSM are deferred for only twelve months.