FDA Wants to Restrict Sperm Donations From Gays
The U.S. Food and Drug Administration says it plans to go ahead with a new guideline that recommends that men who've had sex with other men within the past five years be rejected as anonymous sperm donors.
The FDA has rejected criticism that the move stigmatizes all gay men and that the restriction should apply to all men -- gay or straight -- who've engaged in high-risk sexual behavior. The FDA says gay men collectively pose a higher-than-average risk of carrying HIV, the virus that causes AIDS, the Associated Press reported.
It's not clear whether the FDA guideline will have the force of law. However, it's expected that most fertility clinics and doctors will abide by the guideline, which is expected to take effect in late May, the AP said.
The guideline doesn't prohibit gay men from being "directed" sperm donors in cases where a woman knows a gay man and asks him to provide sperm for artificial insemination, the news service reported.
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