AUGUSTA, Maine — The rules by the FDA bar all gay men from giving blood, unless they have been sexually abstinent for the previous 12 months.
Matt Moonen is the Executive Director of Equality Maine. He says the rules are not based on scientific facts but on stigma that dates back to the beginning of the AIDS epidemic in the 80s.
In 1983 all gay men were banned from donating blood. That ban was lifted in 2015.
During the AIDS epidemic, thousands of patients contracted the HIV virus through blood transfusions. Today, testing can detect the virus in as little as two weeks. Moonen says that lifting the ban will ultimately save lives.
"If blood is going to be tested for everyone, gay, straight, or whatever, than everyone should be able to donate and have the blood go through the testing and let the recipient get it after it’s been proven to be good, healthy blood," said Moonen.
A spokeswoman for the American Red Cross of Maine tells NEWS CENTER Maine the non-profit must abide by the federal guidelines. But the organization is working to gather additional information to help the agency determine whether changes are warranted in the future.