New regulations announced for gay and bisexual men donating to sperm banks
May 08, 2024
Updated screening rules for sperm and egg donors came into force on Wednesday that expand donations to sperm banks from more gay and bisexual men.
“As a continuation of changes made to screening criteria for blood donations, Health Canada reviewed the donor screening criteria for sperm and ova donors and determined that the available scientific and technical information supported adopting a more inclusive screening approach, while not increasing the risk,” Health Canada said in response to questions from CBC News.
The regulator’s more inclusive approach replaces screening questions about men who have sex with men in the previous three months with gender-neutral questions about sexual behaviour with a new partner or multiple partners over the same time period.
Health Minister Mark Holland said the updated policy follows the latest evidence and ensures a stable supply to allow Canadians to grow their families.
Read more: https://www.cbc.ca/news/health/sperm-donation-health-canada-rules-1.7197939