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The US is moving to ease restrictions on blood donations from gay and bisexual men and other groups that traditionally face higher risks of HIV.
The Food and Drug Administration (FDA) on Friday announced draft guidelines that would do away with the current three-month abstinence requirement for donations from men who have sex with men.
Instead, potential donors would be screened with a questionnaire that evaluates their individual risks for HIV based on sexual behavior, recent partners and other factors.
If finalized, the shift would be the latest FDA move to broaden donor eligibility, with the potential to boost the US blood supply.
Gay rights groups have long opposed blanket restrictions on who can give blood, saying they discriminate against the LGBTQ community.
Medical societies including the American Medical Association have also said such exclusions are unnecessary given advances in technology to test blood for infectious diseases.
