Canadian Blood Services has officially apologized to the 2SLGBTQ+ community for its past restrictive blood donation policies that discriminated against men who have sex with men and some transgender individuals. This apology was made at the organization’s headquarters in Ottawa, marking a significant shift in policy and public acknowledgment of previous harms.
For many years, Canadian Blood Services enforced policies that excluded men who have sex with men from donating blood unless they abstained from sexual activity for extended periods. These policies, initially instituted to ensure the safety of the blood supply following the blood system crisis in the 1980s, inadvertently reinforced negative stigmas associated with sexual orientation, contributing to societal discrimination, homophobia, transphobia, and HIV stigma.
Responding to years of advocacy and updated research indicating no threat to the blood supply, the organization has now implemented a new screening approach that focuses on individual high-risk behaviors rather than sexual orientation. The revised policy, which also coincides with changes in the deferment period for men who have had sex with men from five years to one year, is designed to be more inclusive and based on scientific evidence.
This change aligns with recent Health Canada regulations that have also shifted towards more inclusive practices, notably in the context of sperm donations. The new approach at Canadian Blood Services is part of broader efforts to rectify past injustices and improve relationships with the 2SLGBTQ+ community, reflecting a commitment to progress and equality in health policies.