WASHINGTON February 1, 2023 – The American College of Physicians (ACP) is glad to see the recent proposed changes announced by the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) that move their guidelines for blood donation from men who have sex with men toward an increased focus on behavioral risk factors. Last year ACP called on the FDA to expedite their study of blood donation by men who have sex with men, and to make appropriate changes. ACP cited the urgent need to make these changes given the dire state of our nation’s blood supply during one of the deadliest public health crises in our nation’s history. The revised guidelines will safely increase the blood donor pool in a non-discriminatory manner. We hope that the move away from overly restrictive and discriminatory rules may help to increase the supply of blood that our country so desperately needs.
***
About the American College of Physicians
The American College of Physicians is the largest medical specialty organization in the United States with members in more than 145 countries worldwide. ACP membership includes 160,000 internal medicine physicians, related subspecialists, and medical students. Internal medicine physicians are specialists who apply scientific knowledge and clinical expertise to the diagnosis, treatment, and compassionate care of adults across the spectrum from health to complex illness. Follow ACP on Twitter, Facebook, and Instagram.
Contact: Jacquelyn Blaser, (202) 261-4572, jblaser@acponline.org