Health Canada reduces deferral period for sexually active gay men to one year

By The Canadian Press

OTTAWA – Health Canada is making it easier for gay men to give blood, so long as they have been celibate for one year.

Canadian Blood Services and Hema-Quebec will now be allowed to accept blood from men who have had sex with men as recently as one year ago.

The government says the change comes after those agencies provided scientific data that the change would not compromise safety.

The move brings Canada in line with a number of other countries, including the United States, Australia, New Zealand, England, Scotland and France.

Canada lifted the lifetime ban on gay men donating blood in 2013, requiring instead that potential male donors not have had sex with other men for five years.

Health Minister Jane Philpott says the Liberal government is committed to working towards further reducing the waiting period, and wants to base the rules on behaviour, rather than sexual orientation.

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