Current International MSM Requirements

As the University Blood Initiative continues to advocate for more accessible, equitable blood donation, we are turning our attention to one of its most infamous, hotly contested barriers. For the next week, we will be discussing the history, impacts, and future of LGBTQ+ blood donor discrimination, from the AIDS epidemic to the COVID-19 pandemic.

Since the 1980s, the United States has upheld intense donation restrictions on potential MSM (men who have sex with men) donors, though the lifetime ban has changed to a shorter-term deferral period. Today, we are discussing how the US policies compare internationally.