FDA eases rules again for gay men seeking to donate blood

By MATTHEW PERRONE
AP Health Writer

WASHINGTON (AP) — The U.S. is making it easier for gay and bisexual men to give blood by easing restrictions on groups that traditionally face higher risks of HIV. The Food and Drug Administration released a proposal Friday to do away with the current three-month abstinence requirement for donations from men who have sex with men. Donors would instead be screened using a questionnaire that evaluates individual risks for HIV, including sexual behavior. The U.S. and other countries began restricting blood donations from gay and bisexual men during the AIDS crisis of the early 1980s. Gay rights groups have long opposed the policy.