Hma-Qubec ends discriminatory blood donation policy for men who have sex with men

Quebec's blood agencyhas put an endto its blood donation eligibility assessment procedure that discriminates against gay and bisexual men, as well as others in the LGBTQ2+ community.

As of Sunday, Hma-Qubeclifted its policy that restricts people in this group from donating blood for three months after being sexually active.

From now on, all potential blood donorsin the provinceregardless of sex, gender or sexual orientationwill undergo the same initial evaluation. The assessment ofrisk for sexual behaviour will therefore be based on anindividual basis, rather than on belonging to a group considered to be at risk.

"Previously, what determined eligibility or not, to donate blood, was belonging to a high-risk group [...] where the prevalence of HIV, hepatitis B or C is higher," explained Laurent Paul Mnard, spokesperson for Hma-Qubec, in an interview with ICI RDI.

"The objective is to maintain the same very high level of safety of blood products, while being more inclusive," he said.

The new questionnaire will still ask questions about pregnancy and sexual behaviours, and those who say they have had a new sexual partner in the last three months, or have multiple partners, will have to answer additional questions before they can donate blood.

The provincial organization saidall donations are tested for possible infections before sending them to hospitals.

Hma-Qubec saida similar approach has already been in effect in the UK since June 2021, but it has not resulted in asubstantial increase in blood donations.

Last province in Canada to adopt new policy

Mnardsaid this step marks an important social change one that took almost a decade.

In 2013, Health Canada changed the rules to allowmen to donate blood ifthey haven't had sex with a man in the last five years.

Previously, men who said they had sex with a man, even once, since 1977, were not eligible to donate blood.

"These evidence-based reductions to the original lifetime restriction have not resulted in any increase in HIV-positive blood donations," said Health Canada in September, when it approved Hma-Qubec's modified screening policy.

Health Canada approved Canadian Blood Services' requestback in April to eliminate the three-month deferral period for men who have sex with men.

Quebec is the last province in Canada to lift the policy.