Canadian Blood Services, the group that manages most of Canada’s blood supply, is considering a change to its ban on blood donation from men who have sex with men (MSM) who have been sexually active since 1977, the Toronto Star reports. The agency proposes a shorter celibacy period for gay men before donation; in other words, MSM could donate blood if they’ve had sex later than 1977. It has established a $500,000 research grant to help define a better celibacy period. Health Canada, the regulatory agency responsible for the ban, has not said whether it will lift the ban, only that it won’t do anything to increase risk to the blood supply.

To read the Star article, click here.