Canada ends “discriminatory” ban on blood donations from gay and bisexual men
Canada has lifted its archaic ban on blood donations from men who have sex with men in a historic moment for the LGBTQ+ community.
The move was confirmed by Health Canada, the government department responsible for such policies, in a statement on 28 April.
It described the action as “a significant milestone toward a more inclusive blood donation system nationwide”. The new screening approach is set to be implemented no later than 30 September 2022 and will mean that hopeful donors are no longer asked about their sexual orientation, but instead whether or not they engage in higher-risk sexual activity.
At a press conference, Prime Minister Justin Trudeau described the current process as “discriminatory and wrong.” His government first promised to lift the ban as part of the Liberal Party’s federal election campaign in 2015.
