Health Canada blood donation ban reversed for men who have sex with men

Health Canada has approved a request from Canadian Blood Services to end a blood donation ban against men who have had sex with other men. There will also be no more screening questions about sexual orientation, with a shift of focus to higher-risk sexual activity, such as anal sex and multiple partners (which increases the risk of HIV and other infections), among all potential donors. The changes will come into effect no later than Sept. 30.

Earlier this afternoon, Prime Minister Justin Trudeau spoke about the reversal of the blood donation ban for men who have sex with other men.

Tune in as I speak about @GovCanHealth’s response to the submission from Canadian Blood Services, and our government’s commitment to ending the blood ban for men who have sex with men: https://t.co/nUknZW1PXb

— Justin Trudeau (@JustinTrudeau) April 28, 2022

LGBTQ2IA+ group and other organizations have been working for years to reverse the blood donation restriction in Canada, while the Conservative party tabled a motion calling on the government to lift the ban last year.

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