End the blood ban

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During times of chronic shortages in Canada’s blood supply, LGBTQ2+ Canadians want to help save lives. Unfortunately, Canadian Blood Services (CBS) prohibits many LGBTQ2+ individuals from donating blood unless they have been celibate for at least three months.

CIJA’s National LGBTQ2+ Advisory Council has called for this requirement to be removed, noting that it promotes negative stereotypes regarding the LGBTQ2+ community. Canadians must have confidence that our blood supply meets the highest safety standards, but this cannot be achieved through discrimination. The current policy regarding LGBTQ2+ donations should be replaced with a science-based approach rooted in gender-neutral, behaviour-based screening methods. Combined with CBS’ continued testing of donations for HIV, Hepatitis B, and Hepatitis C, this new policy would allow for more precise, efficient, and cost-effective screening and would open the door to more Canadian blood donors.

Recommendations

  • Canceling the three-month celibacy requirement for LGBTQ2+ blood donors, in line with the policies of many other countries, including Israel.
This policy recommendation has been implemented by the Government of Canada and will come into effect September 30, 2022.
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