AMA commends FDA for efforts to reverse lifetime blood donation ban

"The American Medical Association (AMA) commends the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) for taking a step in the right direction to end the lifetime ban that prohibits men who have had sex with men (MSM) from ever donating blood.

"The AMA fully supports and has been a strong advocate for eliminating these current public policies as we believe that the latest scientific evidence should dictate blood and tissue donation deferral periods to ensure the safety of the national blood supply. The AMA's policy supports using scientifically-based deferral periods that are consistently and fairly applied to donors based on their risk level.