The agency added while it would be responsible for approving the policy change, it would be CBS’ responsibility for implementing the changes to its donor screening criteria. It added that the submission must include scientific data to support the safety of the proposed change. A spokesperson said that once a submission is received, it would be reviewed following “the normal processes for blood submissions,” which have a 90-day review target. In a statement to Global News, Health Canada said it “remains open” to reviewing any submissions from CBS or Héma-Quebec, that province’s blood operator, in support of changing the MSM policy.
Under the proposed screening model, instead of donors being asked about whether they had been abstinent, the organization would instead ask all donors questions regarding their sexual behaviours. The deferral period was decreased to one year in 2016, and then to three months in 2019.
