In December of 2015, the U.S. Food and Drug Administration published a report to change their 1985 recommendation to ban blood donation for men who have had sex with men (MSM) since 1977. As an attempt to prevent the spread of HIV through blood donation, the 1985 prohibition has been identified by the American Red Cross as "medically and scientifically unwarranted". The current FDA recommendation still bans men who have had homosexual intercourse within the past year. The banning of blood donation for MSM can no longer be considered an act of medical concern. It is an issue of discrimination based on sexual identity. The White House should ask the FDA to revise their updated policy and demand blood banks across the nation to accept donations from healthy gay men.



