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 The Food and Drug Administration said its decision to reverse the
policy was based on an examination of the latest science which shows
that an indefinite ban is not necessary to prevent transmission of
HIV, the virus that causes AIDS.
"Ultimately, the 12-month deferral window is supported by the best
available scientific evidence, at this point in time, relevant to
the U.S. population," Dr. Peter Marks, deputy director of the FDA's
biologics division, said in a statement.
The move brings the United States in line with countries such as the
United Kingdom, Australia and New Zealand which also have 12-month
deferrment periods.
Gay rights advocates said the updated policy reamins discriminatory.
 "It is ridiculous and counter to the public health that a married
gay man in a monogamous relationship can't give blood, but a
promiscuous straight man who has had hundreds of opposite sex
partners in the last year can," said Jared Polis, a Democratic
congressman and co-chair of the Congressional LGBT Equality Caucus,
a caucus of openly gay members of Congress.
The FDA said it has worked with other government agencies and
considered input from outside advisory bodies, and has "carefully
examined the most recent available scientific evidence to support
the current policy revision."
During Australia's switch from an indefinite blood donor deferral
policy on gay men, essentially a ban, to a 12-month deferral,
studies evaluating more than 8 million units of donated blood were
performed using a national blood surveillance system, the FDA said.
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"These published studies document no change in risk to the blood
supply with use of the 12-month deferral," the agency said. "Similar
data are not available for shorter deferral intervals."
Additionally, the agency said people with hemophilia and related
blood clotting disorders will continue to be banned from donating
blood due to potential harm they could suffer from large needles.
Previously they were banned due to an increased risk of HIV
transmission.
The agency said it has put in place a safety monitoring system for
the blood supply which it expects to provide "critical information"
to help inform future FDA blood donor policies.
The FDA said its policies have helped reduce HIV transmission rates
from blood transfusions from 1 in 2,500 to 1 in 1.47 million.
The FDA first proposed the changes in May. It received some 700
public comments. About half recommended keeping the ban in place.
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