US FDA Proposes Eased Restrictions on Blood Donations from Gay, Bisexual Men

The U.S. Food and Drug Administration on Friday proposed revisions to its guidelines to make it easier for gay and bisexual men to donate blood, eliminating a three-month abstinence period before donations. The restrictions were implemented years ago to prevent the spread of HIV, the virus that causes AIDS. In a release posted to the agency's website, the FDA said under the draft proposals, all donors — regardless of sexual orientation — would be given a questionnaire regarding new partners, sexual history, and certain types of sexual activities. Any prospective donors who do not report having new or multiple sexual partners and have not engaged in certain practices, such as
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