LAUSR

The criteria to defer gbMSM, even once since 1977, was implemented by the Canadian Red Cross Society (CRCS) in the mid-1980s following similar changes in the United States, as gbMSM were noted to be in a high-risk group for AIDS/HIV, as were transfusion and factor concentrate recipients. These early epidemiologic associations were strengthened when HIV antibody testing was introduced in both the United States and Canada and the vast majority of HIV positive donors were gbMSM. In 1998 blood became regulated as a biologic, and changes in criteria required pre-implementation approval from the regulatory authority, Health Canada. In 1998, the CRCS was replaced by two new organizations, Héma-Québec in the province of Québec and Canadian Blood Services in the rest of Canada, after a commission of enquiry found that policy decision deficiencies had contributed to HIV and HCV infection of thousands of patients. The permanent deferral policy remained in place for many years; early change efforts in a highly precautionary environment are described elsewhere. 2 | PROGRESSIVELY SHORTER TIME-BASED DEFERRALS FOR gbMSM