FDA to axe ban that prevented gay and bisexual men from donating their sperm
The FDA is set to axe its ban on gay and bisexual men donating sperm, it has been revealed.
Under the current rule, men who have had sex with men within the last five years are blocked from anonymous sperm donations amid fears over HIV.
But under a revised proposal, this rule would be replaced with a requirement to ask ‘more pointed’ questions about infections with the virus.
If approved, the shift would make more anonymous donations available for those seeking fertility treatments.
It would also affect donations of other tissues, such as heart valves and ligaments — officials say — also making more available.
The FDA is seeking to update its rules on anonymous sperm donations. The current rules were put in place in the 1980s over HIV-related concerns (stock image)
The Wall Street Journal, which revealed the news, said the FDA was planning to finalize its proposal by this summer.
If the White House approves the legislation, officials say it could go into effect by the end of this year.
It would follow a similar move last year that allowed more gay and bisexual men to donate blood.
About 86,000 infants are born via IVF in the US every year, estimates suggest, or two percent of the total.
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