Expanding plasma eligibility for gay, bisexual and other men who have sex with men

We’ve changed the way we screen donors to be more inclusive.

All donors, regardless of gender or sexual orientation, are now asked questions about sexual behaviour. Everyone is now asked if they’ve had new and/or multiple sexual partners in the last three months. If they have, they are asked a follow-up question about whether they’ve had anal sex with any partner in the last three months.       

If you have participated in the MSM Plasma Program, thank you. You have not only helped patients in Canada, but you have also helped drive this eligibility change and inform our work to ensure positive donor experiences. On Sept. 11, 2022, sexual behaviour-based screening was implemented for all donors, regardless of gender or sexual orientation. This means any plasma donations that were in a 60-day hold were automatically sent to be made into specialized medicines.  We encourage you to continue donating plasma with the new criteria, or you could consider donating whole blood instead.