The UK will ease its restrictions on gay men and blood donation, which currently require abstention from sex for three months in advance of donating. The three-month abstinence requirement remains in place for U.S. gay blood donors.
The Guardian reports: “The change in policy will mean risk assessments for donors will be conducted on an individual basis, rather than a population-based one. It will mean that anyone who has the same sexual partner for more than three months will be able to donate if there is no known exposure to a sexually transmitted infection and they are not using anti-HIV drugs PreP or PEP, NHSBT said. The health check questionnaire will include new behaviour-based indicators to assess potential donors, including considering whether a donor exhibits high-risk sexual behaviour such as having multiple partners or taking part in ‘chemsex' – having sex while under the influence of stimulants.”
