Statement attributable to:
Robert M. Wah, M.D.
President, American Medical Association
"The American Medical Association (AMA) commends the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) for taking a step in the right direction to end the lifetime ban that prohibits men who have had sex with men (MSM) from ever donating blood.
"The AMA fully supports and has been a strong advocate for eliminating these current public policies as we believe that the latest scientific evidence should dictate blood and tissue donation deferral periods to ensure the safety of the national blood supply. The AMA's policy supports using scientifically-based deferral periods that are consistently and fairly applied to donors based on their risk level.
"We look forward to reviewing the FDA's new proposed policy that would replace the lifetime ban on blood donation by MSM.
"The AMA will continue to work with the FDA to ensure that our nation's blood donation policy is based on sound science and evaluates population risks consistently and without discrimination."
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About the American Medical Association
The American Medical Association is the physicians’ powerful ally in patient care. As the only medical association that convenes 190+ state and specialty medical societies and other critical stakeholders, the AMA represents physicians with a unified voice to all key players in health care. The AMA leverages its strength by removing the obstacles that interfere with patient care, leading the charge to prevent chronic disease and confront public health crises and, driving the future of medicine to tackle the biggest challenges in health care.
