US eases ban on gay blood donors amid coronavirus

Representative photo. (Credit: Reuters)

The United States eased its policy on gay and bisexual men donating blood on Thursday due to rising concerns about blood supplies during the coronavirus crisis.

The Food and Drug Administration (FDA), a federal agency of the United States Department of Health and Human Services, said it was reducing a 12-month ban on men who have had sex with men to three months.

"This guidance is being implemented without prior public comment because the FDA has determined that prior public participation for this guidance is not feasible or appropriate," the FDA said in a statement.

The announcement came after a long-running campaign by LGBT+ rights groups and some US lawmakers for parity with heterosexuals regarding blood donations.