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Central Florida LGBTQ groups say they want the federal government to remove restrictions on gay and bisexual men who want to give blood.

The U.S. Food and Drug Administration has eased those restrictions, but it didn’t do away with them altogether. 

Men who have sex with men now only have to wait three instead of twelve months since their last sexual encounter before they can give blood. The FDA made the change last week because of a nationwide blood shortage.

Hope & Help’s Adam Troy says he’d like to replace the wait time with more detailed questions that determine a donor’s risk regardless of their sexual orientation or gender.

“I mean, I think the steps that we need to take is focus on individual risk and just stop making sort of blanket statements that focus on a particular segment of the population.”

Orlando’s LGBT+ Center Director George Wallace says as long as this rule is in place, potential donors are being turned away when blood and platelets are needed more than ever.

“I would like to see people no matter what sexual orientation they are to be able to go to the local blood bank and not have to answer those really uncomfortable questions and be able to donate blood and save lives.”

The FDA also reduced the wait time from twelve to three months for women who have sex with gay and bisexual men and people who have gotten tattoos and piercings.

The changes will remain in effect after the coronavirus pandemic.

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