Gay men can now donate blood in Canada, as long as they abstain from sex

Gay men will once again be allowed to donate blood in Canada, as long as they've been celibate for at least five years.

Canadian Blood Services made the announcement Wednesday in a news release, saying it has received approval from Health Canada to reduce the lifetime ban — or as they call it the MSM (men who've had sex with men) deferral period — to five years.

Agency executive Dr. Dana Devine told The Canadian Press that while some will feel the deferral period is still too long, it would be reviewed over time.

The ban was imposed in the wake of the tainted-blood scandal of the 1980s and '90s, when the Canadian Red Cross ran the country's blood system. Thousands of people were infected with HIV and hepatitis C from improperly screened blood and blood products.

A royal commission under retired judge Horace Krever recommended in 1997 the creation of Canadian Blood Services and Héma-Québec. The federal government paid out more than a billion dollars in compensation, but initially only to those who were infected between 1986 and 1990. The program was later expanded to cover hep-C victims infected before and after those dates.

According to CP, several other countries allow gay men to donate blood, some applying a shorter deferral period than the five-year rule Canada is adopting. In Britain and Australia, gay men are eligible if they haven't had sex in a year, while in South Africa it's six months.

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“We recognize that many people will feel that this change does not go far enough, but given the history of the blood system in Canada, we see this as a first and prudent step forward on this policy,” Devine, vice-president of medical, scientific and research affairs at Canadian Blood Services, told CP.

“It’s the right thing to do and we are committed to regular review of this policy as additional data emerge and new technologies are implemented.”

In a Postmedia News piece, Lauren Strapagiel called the move a step forward but said gay men pushing to be allowed to donate blood were still severely restricted.

Reaction on Twitter ranged from faint praise to frustration.

Then there's this sardonic reaction:

Some compared the blood agency's approach to that of the Catholic Church.

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The government and Canadian Blood Services undoubtedly will be tracking the impact of the policy change closely to see if screening reveals any spike in infected blood. If it's successful, presumably the five-year deferral might be shortened.

Given the chronic shortage of donated blood and component products, which has led to private companies offering to pay Canadians to donate blood plasma, an increase in available, willing donors will probably be welcomed.