In 2020 and 2023, the Federal Drug Administration (FDA) updated its guidelines for organ and blood donors, easing restrictions for men who have had sexual encounters with other men. However, the FDA’s regulations regarding tissue donation, which includes various body parts such as eyes, skin, and ligaments, have yet to follow suit.
Advocacy groups, lawmakers, and organizations dedicated to increasing cornea donations have expressed their disappointment with the FDA’s inaction. They argue that the guidelines for tissue donated by gay and bisexual men should be aligned with those for the rest of the human body.
These groups have been advocating for a reduction in the deferral period from five years to 90 days. Under this proposal, a man who has had sex with another man would be eligible to donate tissue as long as such activity did not occur within three months of his death.
One of the most vocal advocates for this change is Sheryl J. Moore, who has been an advocate since the death of her 16-year-old son, Alexander AJ Betts Jr., in 2013. Betts’ internal organs were successfully donated to seven individuals, but his eyes were rejected due to a simple question from the donor network: Was AJ gay?
Moore and Dr. Michael Puente Jr., a pediatric ophthalmologist at the University of Colorado School of Medicine and Children’s Hospital Colorado, spearheaded a campaign called Legalize Gay Eyes. Their efforts attracted the attention of national eye groups and lawmakers.
Dr. Puente emphasized the inconsistency of the current donor guidelines, given the advancements in testing potential donors for HIV.
