Dear 5849376, The Food and Drug Administration still bans blood donations from sexually active gay and bisexual men. This blanket ban places most gay and bisexual men in the highest-risk category -- regardless of whether they are HIV-negative, what safer-sex precautions they take, or how healthy they are. This antiquated policy is a product of fear-based legislating, serves no purpose to protect the public, and must change. With the help of CREDO's new petition site, I'm gathering support to build pressure on the FDA to reverse this discriminatory policy. My petition says the following: The Food and Drug Administration (FDA) prohibits sexually active gay and bisexual men from donating blood in the United States. This ban, which is based on fears that are decades-old and discounted by science, is contributing to the critical shortage in the American blood supply. Its time for the FDA to reverse its policy and overturn the blanket ban on blood donations from men who have sex with men (MSM).
Recently, the Red Cross refused to accept donated blood from the mayor and vice mayor of the town of Campbell, California due to the FDA's policies. Following this and other high-profile incidents, including the refusal of gay donors following the Boston Marathon bombings, I and a bipartisan, bicameral group of my colleagues in Congress have delivered a letter to Health and Human Services Secretary Kathleen Sebelius seeking clarification on the department's reassessment of the ban. The American Medical Association opposes the FDA's discriminatory and outdated restrictions, and it is long past time for the FDA to update its position as well. Other countries, including the United Kingdom, Italy, and Japan, have successfully lifted their bans on donations from gay men. If they can do it safely, so can we. As more elected officials join us to support reversing the ban, a strong and visible public show of support is critical to our effort to press the FDA to reverse its outdated policy, which is based on irrational fears. Please join us by signing my petition today. Will you join me and add your name to my petition to urge the FDA to end the ban on blood donations from gay men? Thank you for your support. Congressman Mike Honda | 
