Booker, Colleagues Urge FDA to End Outdated Ban on Sperm Donations

WASHINGTON, D.C. - Today, U.S. Senators Cory Booker (D-NJ), Laphonza Butler (D-CA), Tammy Duckworth (D-IL), Jeff Merkley (D-OR), Elizabeth Warren (D-MA), and Peter Welch (D-VT) wrote a letter to the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) Commissioner Robert M. Califf urging the agency to revise its sperm donation eligibility guidelines and remove the ban on donations from men who have had sex with men (MSM).

"We are writing to strongly urge you to use your authority as Commissioner of the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) to revise the sperm donation eligibility guidelines and remove the ban on donations from men who have had sex with another man (MSM). This outdated and discriminatory policy stands in stark contrast to recent advancements in other FDA policies pertaining to MSM, therefore, requiring new review," the Senators wrote.

Policies restricting MSM donations date back to the 1980s HIV/AIDS epidemic due to concerns about virus transmission. However, there have been numerous advancements in HIV screening and prevention, and current protocols for sperm donations include thorough testing and a quarantine period to ensure safety.

"Not only is the ongoing exclusion of MSM from sperm donation scientifically unfounded and unjust, it also fails to meet the demands of the moment amid a national shortage of diverse sperm donations. Black and Hispanic families face greater challenges in accessing sperm that is concordant to their race and ethnicity as compared to other racial or ethnic groups," the Senators continued.

Despite reports from earlier this year indicating that the FDA was planning to remove the ban on sperm donation for MSM and revise guidelines, there has been no public action towards this goal.

"We strongly encourage the FDA to align its sperm donation guidelines with its updated blood donation policies, reaffirming the FDA's commitment to equitable, science-based policy. We look forward to your leadership in implementing these necessary changes," the Senators concluded.

To read the full text of the letter, click here.