Canadian Blood Services (CBS) on Wednesday called on Health Canada to lift the ban on gay men donating blood if they have had sex in the past three months.
The organization says it wants to focus on risky sexual behavior in all blood donors instead of just focusing on sex between men, according to Global News.
The SCS thus intends to question all blood donors on recent anal sex with partners, regardless of gender or sexual orientation.
This would identify “precisely and reliably those who may have an infection transmissible by transfusion,” said the organization, adding that this change does not risk compromising the safety of the blood supply.
These changes in the criteria for donating blood must be approved by Health Canada, which has three months to render its decision.
Last September, the organization had authorized gay men to donate blood plasma, pending the extension of the authorization.