Changing Eligibility and the CBS Apology, 2013-2024
Button from the Canadian Federation of Student's End the Ban! campaign.
Through the widespread activism of those fighting for an evidence based approach, the move away from a lifetime ban and sexual orientation based donor screening began taking place. Even in 1999, the discussion of behaviour based screening was growing,with an article from the Globe and Mail stating that “Fortunately, there is a simple way of satisfying everyone. Change the questions on the forms. Have them ask about dangerous acts and not potentially safe status” (The Globe and Mail), asking questions of a donor’s activity instead of orientation. The first “relaxation”(Wittock and Hustinx) of the policy began in 2013, which changed the policy from a lifetime ban of MSM to a required 5-year period of sexual abstinence for MSM. Later, in 2016, this period was reduced to 12 months, and in 2019 it was further reduced to three months (Grace et al., 2235). Additionally, in 2021 the CBS MSM Plasma Program offered a donation program for sexually active MSM to donate blood.
The most recent change to donor eligibility came in September of 2022, where CBS implemented a Sexual Behaviour-Based Screening (SBBS) process, removing orientation and identity language altogether. As of 2022, all donors are asked if they have had new or multiple sexual partners in the three months prior to their donation. If a donor answers yes, they are asked if they have had anal sex in the last three months. SBBS screens out those who have had anal sex in the last three months with a new partner or with multiple partners. These donors will be required to wait three months from when they last had anal sex to donate. Those who have not had anal sex or had anal sex with the same sexual partner for three months are eligible to donate (“Sexual behaviour-based screening”).
However, the changing eligibility only moved the goalpost in regards to blood donation for sex workers. The 2022 SBBS model removed questions of sexuality, but maintained a ban on those who answered yes to the questions “In the last 12 months have you had sex with a sex trade worker or anyone else who has taken money or drugs for sex?” and “In the last 12 months have you taken money or drugs for sex?” A positive response would result in a year long deferral before blood donation could take place.
On May 10th, 2024, CEO of CBS, Dr. Graham Sher, delivered a formal apology to 2SLGBTQIA+ communities across Canada for the harm committed through the years of the MSM blood ban. Acknowledging how the policy reinforced harmful public perceptions on promiscuity and that some blood is “less safe” than others, Dr. Sher wishes to make it known that CBS is trying to rebuild trust with these communities (“Apology”). Alongside the apology, CBS established a 2SLGBTQIA+ advisory committee in 2022 made representatives from civil society organizations with the express goal to provide ongoing advice on 2SLGBTQIA+ inclusion efforts and policies. The advisory committee is a root in which CBS can engage with 2SLGBTQIA+ communities and better understand and address the impacts of CBS policies in order to create more inclusive and positive relationships across the country. The apology, committee, and the adjusted sexual behaviour based screening showed CBS’s accountability to recognizing where harms were created by the ban and how this worked to disenfranchise 2SLGBTQIA+ communities across Canada.