Health Canada lifts policy banning sperm donations from men who have sex with men

The move lifts a blanket ban that has been in place for more than 30 years.

After a review of the latest scientific evidence and feedback received from recent consultations, Health Canada is updating the donor screening criteria for sperm and ova donors to adopt a more inclusive screening approach, a spokesperson said in an email on Thursday.

The new inclusive approach will replace the current men who have sex with men screening questions with gender-neutral, sexual behaviour-based donor screening questions.

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The change will not compromise the safety of donated sperm and eggs in Canada, Health Canada added.

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Currently, sperm donors are asked if they are a man who had sex with men, while egg donors are asked if they had sex with men who have sex with men.

The change comes into effect on May 8 to give sperm banks time to implement the changes to the screening criteria.

In 2022, Health Canada approved a request from the Canadian Blood Services to eliminate a policy that prevented men who have sex with men from donating blood for three months after being sexually active.

This article is republished from RCI.