Under the new criteria, all donors will be asked if they’ve had new or multiple sexual partners in the last three months. This could not have happened without their hard work.”Ĭanadian Blood Services said the change will bring an end to men being asked if they’ve had sex with another man during the pre-screening process. “Numerous 2SLGBTQIA+ and other stakeholder groups, researchers and Canadian Blood Services employees have contributed countless hours to this effort over the years. Graham Sher, CEO of Canadian Blood Services, said in a news release. “Today’s approval from Health Canada is the result of over a decade of work to make participation in Canada’s Lifeline as inclusive as possible, without compromising the safety of biological products or the security of supply,” Dr. The new screening approach will include a questionnaire about sexual behaviours applicable to all blood and plasma donors. When implemented later this year, the new criteria means all blood donors will be screened for high-risk sexual behaviours, regardless of their gender or sexuality.
Instead of a blanket ban, the policy change means Canadian Blood Services will focus on sexual behaviour associated with a higher risk of infection. Health Canada has given Canadian Blood Services the green light to end the three-month donor deferral period in place for sexually active men who have sex with men.