Blood survey aims to update 'discriminatory' donation policy

Blood samples are being collected at Capital Pride this weekendas part of an effort to overturn ablanketban on blood donations from sexually active gay and bisexual men.

Undercurrent Canadian Blood Services (CBS) policy, any man who has had sex with another man in the past year is prohibited from donating blood.

The SexNow Survey, run by B.C.-based Community-Based Research Centre for Gay Men's Health, will set up shop this weekend.Willing participants will be asked a few questions, and can then give a blood sample.

The organization, which believes the current policy is discriminatory and unscientific, will then sendthe anonymous blood test results to CBS, which is helping fund the project. Participants may get their own results back if they wish.

'A system for the 21stcentury'

Nathan Lachowsky, the organization's research director and an assistant professor at the University of Victoria, believes the blood agency should base its collection criteria on morenuanced factors other thanone's sexual preference, such as the number of partners a person hashad.

"We need a system for the21stcentury, one that appeals to young donors of a new generation that think differently about sex, gender and sexuality," Lachowskysaid.

Blood survey aims to update 'discriminatory' donation policy

6 years ago

Duration 0:30

Roberto Ortiz, executive director of Max Ottawa, says men who have sex with men feel discriminated against by Canadian Blood Service's current donation policy. (Krystalle Ramlakhan/CBC)

CBS would require the approval of Health Canada to change the policy.

Willing donors

Staff and volunteers with Max Ottawa, a community-based health and wellness organization for both cis and transgender gay, bisexual, two-spirit, and queer guys, will help conduct the survey Aug. 25 and 26 at the Capital Pride community fair.

"We see from our communitiesthis hope to have equal opportunities to donate blood. There's a lot of guys that are very willing to donate blood," said Roberto Ortiz, Max Ottawa's executive director.

It's feeling like our blood is dirty.Roberto Ortiz,Max Ottawa

"These restriction[s are] still something that makes a lot of us in our communities feel still left behind or somehow discriminated [against],"Ortiz said. "What we've heard from the communities [is],'I would love to give blood but I can't because they don't want my blood, so it's feeling like our blood is dirty.'"

CBS, in partnership with Hma-Qubec and with funding from Health Canada, is supporting 11 research projects investigating various aspects of blood and plasma donors' eligibility criteria and screening.

CBS said the goal of the research funding program is to generate adequate evidence to inform alternative screening approaches for blood and plasma donors, which could change the current eligibility criteria for men who have sex with men.

People 15 and older can participate in thesurvey, but only those18 and older will be allowed to undergo the blood test. There is a $10 incentive for participants who do both.

The blood test involvesa small finger prick to collect a few drops of blood. Ottawa Max has already collected 150 samples and is hoping to gather at least 350 more this weekend.