Alexander Betts Jr. : FDA Urged to End Ban on Gay Men Donating Tissue

Accident – Death – Obituary News : : 1. “FDA tissue donation ban LGBTQ+”
2. “Gay bisexual men tissue donation policy”

Sheryl J. Moore has been campaigning for over a decade to update regulations on gay men donating tissue after losing her son to suicide in 2013. Despite changes in organ and blood donation rules, the FDA still maintains outdated restrictions on donated tissue. Advocates are urging the FDA to align guidelines for tissue donated by gay and bisexual men with those for the rest of the body. The FDA’s delay in taking action has led to frustration among lawmakers and advocates like Moore. The current guidelines, set 30 years ago to prevent HIV transmission, no longer align with scientific advancements, prompting calls for updated, science-based policies.

Sheryl J. Moore has been a fierce advocate for updating the rules surrounding tissue donation by gay men ever since the tragic loss of her eldest son, Alexander “AJ” Betts Jr., to suicide in 2013. Despite recent changes in federal guidelines for organ and blood donation, the Food and Drug Administration’s outdated restrictions on donated tissue, including corneas, remain a point of contention. Lawmakers and advocates, particularly in the field of cornea donation, are calling for alignment between the guidelines for tissue donated by gay and bisexual men and those that apply to the rest of the human body.

**Campaign for Change**

For the past decade, Moore has been at the forefront of a campaign called “Legalize Gay Eyes,” alongside Colorado doctor Michael Puente Jr. As an ophthalmologist with the University of Colorado School of Medicine and Children’s Hospital Colorado, Puente highlights the nonsensical nature of the current donor guidelines, which prevent gay men from donating specific tissues while allowing them to donate others. The justification for these policies, implemented 30 years ago to prevent HIV transmission, is now being challenged in light of scientific advancements.

**Advocating for Equality**

Representative Joe Neguse of Colorado and numerous other lawmakers signed a letter in 2021 urging the FDA to base its policies on individualized risk assessments rather than outdated biases. The FDA, however, maintains that there are still relative risks associated with HIV transmission through ophthalmic surgical procedures. While the agency reviews donor screening and testing protocols regularly, advocates argue that changes to tissue donation guidelines are long overdue.

**Changing Landscape**

In recent years, significant progress has been made in revising policies related to blood and organ donation. The FDA eliminated the “blood ban” for gay and bisexual men in 2015, subsequently implementing a policy that treats all prospective donors equally. The U.S. Public Health Service also adjusted guidelines for organ donation in 2020, allowing sexually active gay men to donate their organs under certain conditions.

**Challenges in Cornea Donation**

Despite these advancements, cornea donation remains a contentious issue. Gay men are required to abstain from sexual activity for five years before being eligible to donate their corneas, a policy that many view as outdated and impractical. Kevin Corcoran of the Eye Bank Association of America emphasizes the need for alignment between tissue donation guidelines and those for blood donation, highlighting the importance of ensuring fairness and inclusivity in the donation process.

**Personal Tragedy**

Moore’s personal experience with the donation process serves as a poignant reminder of the impact of current policies. Following her son AJ’s tragic death, his organs helped save or prolong the lives of seven individuals. However, his corneas were rejected due to his sexual orientation, leaving Moore feeling that her son had been subjected to bullying even after his passing.

As advocates continue to push for reforms in tissue donation guidelines, the need for a more inclusive and science-based approach is becoming increasingly evident. With the support of lawmakers, medical professionals, and advocacy groups, the hope is to create a more equitable system that allows all individuals, regardless of sexual orientation, to contribute to the gift of life through tissue donation.