Congressman Neguse Helps Secure Changes to FDA’s Tissue Donation Policy, Help End Discrimination of LGBTQ+ Americans

Washington, D.C.— Today, Congressman Neguse announced that the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) will change its cornea tissue donation policy, which previously recommended disqualifying men who have had sex with men (MSM) in the preceding 5 years from becoming tissue donors. In November 2021, Congressman Joe Neguse led over 50 House and Senate lawmakers in a bicameral effort to call for a review and update of this policy.

You can read that letter HERE.

These guidelines, which have not been significantly updated since 1994, have contributed to a significant shortage of needed tissue products nationwide, including most critically an acute need for donor corneas. In addition to depriving patients of the opportunity to receive life-changing transplant surgeries, the current tissue donation policy unnecessarily stigmatizes and harms the LGBTQ+ community. The broad consensus among the medical community indicates that the current scientific evidence does not support these discriminatory restrictions.

“I am pleased that FDA has reviewed its policy and will move away from the discriminatory recommendations that stop LGBTQ individuals from contributing needed tissue donations,” said Congressman Neguse. “To put it simply, LGBTQ people deserve to enjoy the same rights and responsibilities as all other Americans, and our policies should not perpetuate stigma. I’m proud to join my colleagues in helping usher this change through, and we will continue to demand justice and end the discrimination and bias that has permeated our society for far too long.”

Congressman Neguse has long advocated for equal legal protection for LGBTQ+ Americans. In February of 2021, he helped pass the Equality Act through the U.S. House of Representatives to amend existing federal civil rights laws to explicitly prohibit discrimination on the basis of sexual orientation and gender identity in employment education, housing, credit, jury service, public accommodations, and federal funding.