U.S. Senator Tammy Baldwin Statement on FDA Comment Period on Improving Blood Donation Policy

WASHINGTON, D.C. – Today, U.S. Senator Tammy Baldwin released the following statement after the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) announced that it will be requesting comments, supported by scientific evidence, to help develop options to move from time-based blood donation deferrals to blood donation guidelines based on individual risk:

“I have long fought to end discriminatory blood donation policies and improve them, including for healthy gay and bisexual men. It is encouraging that the FDA is taking another step forward to develop better blood donor policies that are grounded in science, don’t unfairly single out one group of individuals, and allow all healthy Americans to donate. I will continue to push for policies that secure our nation’s blood supply in a scientifically sound manner based on individual risk.”

This announcement from the FDA comes following a letter Senator Baldwin led in June with 25 Senators calling on HHS Secretary Sylvia Burwell to end the outdated and discriminatory ban for men who have sex with men (MSM) and replace it by instituting a risk-based policy. Baldwin led a similar charge in 2014.