Memphis is one of eight sites for a new study that could broaden blood-donor eligibility for men who have sex with men.
In April 2020, the U.S. Food and Drug Adminstration (FDA) deferred a man who had sex with another man from donating blood for three months following his most recent sexual contact with another man. The aim of the policy is to reduce the risk of infection, including HIV, from reaching the blood supply.
In May, three of the nation’s largest blood centers — Vitalant, OneBlood, and the American Red Cross — announced the pilot study funded by the FDA. The study is called Assessing Donor Variability And New Concepts in Eligibility (ADVANCE) and is being conducted at sites in Memphis, Washington D.C., San Francisco, Orlando, New Orleans/Baton Rouge, Miami, Los Angeles, and Atlanta.
Researchers hope to determine if an individual risk analysis for donors would be as effective as the time deferral method. To get there, they are looking at possible changes to the donor history questionnaire, a series of questions that all potential blood donors answer before donating. The questions assess risk factors that could indicate possible infection with a transfusion transmissible infection, including HIV.
“The ADVANCE study is a first step in providing data that will help the FDA determine if a donor history questionnaire based on individual risk would be as effective as time-based deferral in reducing the risk of HIV in the blood supply,” said Brian Custer, vice president of research and scientific programs with Vitalant Research Institute.
In all, researchers hope to enroll 2,000 participants aged 18-39, about 250 to 300 from each study area. In Memphis, the study is led by Vitalant and supported by Friends for Life, the Corner, and OUTMemphis. Click here for Memphis appointments.
“If the scientific evidence supports the use of the different questions it could mean gay and bisexual men who present to donate would be assessed based upon their own individual risk for HIV infection and not according to when their last sexual contact with another man occurred,” said Susan Stramer, vice president of scientific affairs, with the American Red Cross Biomedical Services.
Participants will be financially compensated for their time. For more information click below.