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Higgins: Action on Longtime Blood Donation Ban is Warranted But FDA Should Do Better

Date: Dec. 21, 2015
Issues: Civil Liberties and Civil Rights Sexual Orientation and Gender Identity

Congressman Brian Higgins (NY-26) released the statement below following the U.S. Food & Drug Administration's (FDA) issuance of a final guidance outlining updated blood donation guidelines for gay and bisexual men from its previous lifetime ban to a new policy of a 12-month ban:

"The FDA's lifetime ban on accepting blood donations from healthy gay and bisexual men was outdated and discriminatory. Action to change this policy was greatly overdue but unfortunately the FDA's new policy still falls short. Blood donation eligibility should be based on risk factors not categorical exclusion based on sexual orientation alone."

In July, Rep. Higgins and other members of Congress filed comments to the draft guidance urging the FDA to "embrace science, and also reject outdated stereotypes" by instead moving to a fully risk-based deferral system for blood donations. On December 14, Higgins joined Blood is Blood founder Jordan Moll Vigrass and Pride Center of Western New York Senior Director Matthew Crehan Higgins at a rally in Buffalo opposing the FDA ban.


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