Blood donations by MSMs
Men who have sex with men are banned from donating blood in 56 countries.
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- Legal
- Legal with restrictions
- Banned (3-month deferral)
- Banned (6-month deferral)
- Banned (1-year deferral)
- Banned (5-year deferral)
- Banned (indefinite deferral)
- Varies by region or ambiguous
- Unknown or N/A
Recent Changes
- Mar 1 2024Became Legal in Estonia
- Jan 1 2024Became Legal in Netherlands
- Jan 1 2024Became Legal in Norway
- Dec 4 2023Became Legal in Finland
- Nov 1 2023Became Legal in Switzerland
- Jul 1 2023Became Banned (3-month deferral) in Belgium
- Jun 3 2023Became Legal in Heard Island and McDonald Islands
- Jun 3 2023Became Legal in Australian Capital Territory
Blood donations by MSMs
The ability for MSMs (men who have sex with men) to donate blood or tissue for organ transplants. A deferral period refers to a waiting time before a man can donate after having sex.
Summary
Progress Over Time
Number of countries with equality for blood donations by msms over the past 61 years.
2024
2023
- FinlandLegalDecember 4
- SwitzerlandLegalNovember 1
- BelgiumBanned (3-month deferral)July 1
- New South Wales, AustraliaLegalJune 3
- Tasmania, AustraliaLegalJune 3
- Queensland, AustraliaLegalJune 3
- Victoria, AustraliaLegalJune 3
- Northern Territory, AustraliaLegalJune 3
- Western Australia, AustraliaLegalJune 3
- South Australia, AustraliaLegalJune 3
- Australian Capital Territory, AustraliaLegalJune 3
- Heard Island and McDonald Islands, AustraliaLegalJune 3
- Isle of ManLegalJune 1
- Pennsylvania, United StatesLegalMay 11
- California, United StatesLegalMay 11
- Washington, United StatesLegalMay 11
- Michigan, United StatesLegalMay 11
- Texas, United StatesLegalMay 11
- Florida, United StatesLegalMay 11
- New York, United StatesLegalMay 11
- Hawaii, United StatesLegalMay 11
- Oregon, United StatesLegalMay 11
- Alaska, United StatesLegalMay 11
- New Mexico, United StatesLegalMay 11
- Utah, United StatesLegalMay 11
- Tennessee, United StatesLegalMay 11
- Idaho, United StatesLegalMay 11
- Oklahoma, United StatesLegalMay 11
- Nevada, United StatesLegalMay 11
- Arizona, United StatesLegalMay 11
- Massachusetts, United StatesLegalMay 11
- Louisiana, United StatesLegalMay 11
- Mississippi, United StatesLegalMay 11
- Washington, D.C., United StatesLegalMay 11
- Alabama, United StatesLegalMay 11
- Arkansas, United StatesLegalMay 11
- Georgia, United StatesLegalMay 11
- Montana, United StatesLegalMay 11
- Wyoming, United StatesLegalMay 11
- Colorado, United StatesLegalMay 11
- North Dakota, United StatesLegalMay 11
- South Dakota, United StatesLegalMay 11
- Nebraska, United StatesLegalMay 11
- Kansas, United StatesLegalMay 11
- Minnesota, United StatesLegalMay 11
- Iowa, United StatesLegalMay 11
- Missouri, United StatesLegalMay 11
- Wisconsin, United StatesLegalMay 11
- Illinois, United StatesLegalMay 11
- Indiana, United StatesLegalMay 11
- Kentucky, United StatesLegalMay 11
- South Carolina, United StatesLegalMay 11
- Ohio, United StatesLegalMay 11
- West Virginia, United StatesLegalMay 11
- Virginia, United StatesLegalMay 11
- North Carolina, United StatesLegalMay 11
- Maryland, United StatesLegalMay 11
- Delaware, United StatesLegalMay 11
- New Jersey, United StatesLegalMay 11
- Connecticut, United StatesLegalMay 11
- Rhode Island, United StatesLegalMay 11
- New Hampshire, United StatesLegalMay 11
- Vermont, United StatesLegalMay 11
- Maine, United StatesLegalMay 11
- Guam, United StatesLegalMay 11
- Guam, United StatesLegalMay 11
- Northern Mariana Islands, United StatesLegalMay 11
- Puerto Rico, United StatesLegalMay 11
- U.S. Virgin Islands, United StatesLegalMay 11
- American Samoa, United StatesLegalMay 11
- United StatesLegalMay 11
- GermanyLegalApril 1
2022
- Quebec, CanadaLegalDecember 4
- IrelandLegalNovember 28
- CanadaLegalSeptember 30
- British Columbia, CanadaLegalSeptember 30
- Ontario, CanadaLegalSeptember 30
- New Brunswick, CanadaLegalSeptember 30
- Nova Scotia, CanadaLegalSeptember 30
- Newfoundland and Labrador, CanadaLegalSeptember 30
- Prince Edward Island, CanadaLegalSeptember 30
- Manitoba, CanadaLegalSeptember 30
- Saskatchewan, CanadaLegalSeptember 30
- Alberta, CanadaLegalSeptember 30
- Yukon Territory, CanadaLegalSeptember 30
- Northwest Territories, CanadaLegalSeptember 30
- Nunavut, CanadaLegalSeptember 30
- Falkland IslandsLegalSeptember 26
- MaltaLegalSeptember 1
- AustriaLegalSeptember 1
- SloveniaLegalJuly 1
- LithuaniaLegalMay 1
- CyprusLegalApril 20
- CyprusBanned (6-month deferral)April 19
- IrelandBanned (3-month deferral)March 28
- French Southern Territories, FranceLegalMarch 16
- FranceLegalMarch 16
- GreeceLegalJanuary 10
- KenyaLegalJanuary 1
- IcelandBanned (indefinite deferral)January 1
- Ardennes, FranceLegalJanuary 1
Blood donations by MSMs by Country
Legal
Blood donations by MSMs is legal in 125 regions.
- Asia (14)
- Bhutan
- Cambodia
- Israel 2021
- Jordan
- Kazakhstan
- Kuwait
- Kyrgyzstan
- Laos
- Maldives
- Mongolia
- Nepal
- Saudi Arabia
- South Korea
- Vietnam
- Europe (36)
- Albania 2008
- Andorra 2011
- Armenia
- Austria 2022
- Azerbaijan
- Belarus
- Bulgaria
- Cyprus 2022
- Estonia 2024
- Finland 2023
- France 2022
- Georgia 2017
- Germany 2023
- Greece 2022
- Hungary 2020
- Ireland 2022
- Italy 2001
- Latvia
- Liechtenstein
- Lithuania 2022
- Malta 2022
- Monaco
- Montenegro
- Netherlands 2024
- North Macedonia
- Norway 2024
- Poland
- Portugal 2010
- Romania 2008
- Russia 2008
- San Marino 1958
- Slovenia 2022
- Spain 1976
- Switzerland 2023
- Ukraine 2016
- United Kingdom 2021
- North America (18)
- Antigua and Barbuda
- Bahamas
- Barbados
- Belize
- Canada 2022
- Costa Rica
- Cuba 1979
- Dominica
- Dominican Republic
- Grenada 2012
- Haiti
- Jamaica
- Mexico 2012
- Nicaragua
- Saint Kitts and Nevis
- Saint Lucia
- Saint Vincent and the Grenadines
- United States 2023
- Africa (34)
- Angola
- Benin
- Botswana
- Burkina Faso
- Burundi
- Cameroon
- Chad
- Democratic Republic of the Congo
- Equatorial Guinea
- Eswatini
- Gabon
- Guinea
- Guinea-Bissau
- Kenya 2022
- Lesotho
- Liberia
- Madagascar
- Malawi
- Mali
- Mauritius
- Mozambique
- Namibia
- Niger 2008
- Republic of the Congo
- Sao Tome and Principe
- Senegal
- Seychelles
- Sierra Leone
- South Africa 2014
- South Sudan
- Tanzania
- Togo
- Tunisia 1957
- Zimbabwe
- Oceania (11)
- Federated States of Micronesia
- Fiji
- Kiribati
- Marshall Islands
- Nauru
- Palau
- Papua New Guinea 2016
- Solomon Islands
- Tonga
- Tuvalu
- Vanuatu
- South America (11)
- Argentina 2015
- Bolivia 2019
- Brazil 2020
- Chile 2013
- Colombia 2012
- Ecuador
- Guyana
- Paraguay
- Peru
- Suriname
- Uruguay 2020
- Antarctica (1)
- Antarctica
Banned (3-month deferral)
Blood donations by MSMs is banned (3-month deferral) in 5 regions.
- North America (1)
- Trinidad and Tobago
Banned (6-month deferral)
Blood donations by MSMs is banned (6-month deferral) in 3 regions.
- Asia (1)
- Japan 2011
Banned (1-year deferral)
Blood donations by MSMs is banned (1-year deferral) in 5 regions.
Banned (5-year deferral)
Blood donations by MSMs is banned (5-year deferral) in 1 regions.
- Asia (1)
- Taiwan 2018
Banned (indefinite deferral)
Blood donations by MSMs is banned (indefinite deferral) in 42 regions.
- Asia (21)
- Afghanistan
- Brunei
- China 2012
- India 2017
- Iran
- Lebanon
- Malaysia 2016
- Myanmar
- Oman
- Pakistan
- Palestine
- Philippines
- Qatar 1915
- Singapore
- Sri Lanka
- Syria
- Tajikistan
- Thailand 1977
- Timor-Leste
- United Arab Emirates
- Uzbekistan
- Africa (12)
- Algeria
- Central African Republic
- Comoros
- Côte d’Ivoire
- Egypt
- Eritrea 1957
- Gambia
- Ghana
- Libya
- Mauritania
- Morocco
- Rwanda
- South America (1)
- Venezuela 2017
No data, no laws, N/A, or ambiguous
Data on blood donations by msms is unclear, not applicable, or missing in 17 regions.
- North America (1)
- Guatemala
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