Argentina has lifted a 15-year-old ban that prevents gay and bisexual men from donating blood, Medical Daily reported.
Some have now speculated that this development could impact countries such as the United States, which still restrict donations from men in same-sex relationships from donating. At a signing ceremony, Argentina Health Minister Daniel Gollan said that the change "is scientifically and technically accurate," and is based on a medical approach that overtakes an old concept of "risk groups."
In 1983, the Food and Drug Administration ( FDA ) issued a lifelong ban in the United States on men donating blood and tissue if they had had sex with another man. The ban, motivated by the AIDS epidemic, even applied to HIV-negative individuals.
U.S. Rep. Mike Quigley ( IL-05 ), a vice chair of the LGBT Equality Caucus, said in a statement, "I applaud the Argentinian Ministry of Health for ending its ban on blood donations from men who have sex with men ( MSM ), a decision Health Minister Daniel GollÃˇn said was 'scientifically and technically accurate.' MSM have been prohibited from donating blood in the United States since 1983 as a knee-jerk reaction to the AIDS epidemic. However, this policy is outdated and discriminatory."
The article is at www.medicaldaily.com/blood-donation-argentina-lifts-ban-gay-men-could-impact-other-countries-restrictive-353368 .