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Lewin A, Goldman M, Busch MP, Davison K, van de Laar T, Tiberghien P, Shinar E, O'Brien SF, Lambert G, Field S, Hervig T, Tan DHS, Custer B, Drews SJ, Lanteri MC, Klochkov D, Widmer E, Domingue MP, Renaud C, Germain M. End of selection criteria based on sexual orientation: An international symposium on alternatives to donation deferral. Vox Sang 2024; 119:388-401. [PMID: 38270352 DOI: 10.1111/vox.13587] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/01/2023] [Revised: 12/07/2023] [Accepted: 12/21/2023] [Indexed: 01/26/2024]
Abstract
BACKGROUND AND OBJECTIVES Until recently, gay, bisexual and other men who have sex with men (MSM) were deferred from donating blood for 3-12 months since the last male-to-male sexual contact. This MSM deferral has been discontinued by several high-income countries (HIC) that now perform gender-neutral donor selection. MATERIALS AND METHODS An international symposium (held on 20-04-2023) gathered experts from seven HICs to (1) discuss how this paradigm shift might affect the mitigation strategies for transfusion-transmitted infections and (2) address the challenges related to gender-neutral donor selection. RESULTS Most countries employed a similar approach for implementing a gender-neutral donor selection policy: key stakeholders were consulted; the transition was bridged by time-limited deferrals; donor compliance was monitored; and questions or remarks on anal sex and the number and/or type of sexual partners were often added. Many countries have now adopted a gender-neutral approach in which questions on pre- and post-exposure prophylaxis for human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) have been added (or retained, when already in place). Other countries used mitigation strategies, such as plasma quarantine or pathogen reduction technologies for plasma and/or platelets. CONCLUSION The experience with gender-neutral donor selection has been largely positive among the countries covered herein and seems to be acceptable to stakeholders, donors and staff. The post-implementation surveillance data collected so far appear reassuring with regards to safety, although longer observation periods are necessary. The putative risks associated with HIV antiretrovirals should be further investigated.
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Affiliation(s)
- Antoine Lewin
- Medical Affairs and Innovation, Héma-Québec, Montréal and Québec, Quebec, Canada
| | - Mindy Goldman
- Donation Policy and Studies, Canadian Blood Services, Ottawa, Ontario, Canada
| | - Michael P Busch
- Vitalant Research Institute, San Francisco, California, USA
- Department of Laboratory Medicine, University of California in San Francisco, San Francisco, California, USA
| | - Katy Davison
- NHS Blood and Transplant/UK Health Security Agency (UKHSA) Epidemiology Unit, UKHSA, London, UK
| | - Thijs van de Laar
- Department of Donor Medicine Research, Sanquin Research, Amsterdam, The Netherlands
- Laboratory of Medical Microbiology, Onze Lieve Vrouwe Gasthuis, Amsterdam, The Netherlands
| | - Pierre Tiberghien
- Établissement Français du Sang, La Plaine Saint Denis, France
- UMR 1098, Inserm, Établissement Français du Sang, Université de Franche-Comté, Besançon, France
| | - Eilat Shinar
- National Blood Services, Magen David Adom, Tel Aviv, Israel
| | - Sheila F O'Brien
- Epidemiology and Surveillance, Canadian Blood Services, Ottawa, Ontario, Canada
| | - Gilles Lambert
- Direction régionale de santé publique - Montréal, Montréal, Québec, Canada
- Institut national de santé publique du Québec, Montréal, Québec, Canada
| | - Stephen Field
- Irish Blood Transfusion Service, Dublin, County Dublin, Ireland
| | - Tor Hervig
- Irish Blood Transfusion Service, Dublin, County Dublin, Ireland
| | - Darrell H S Tan
- Division of Infectious Diseases, Department of Medicine, St Michael's Hospital, Toronto, Ontario, Canada
| | - Brian Custer
- Vitalant Research Institute, San Francisco, California, USA
- Department of Laboratory Medicine, University of California in San Francisco, San Francisco, California, USA
| | - Steven J Drews
- Donation Policy and Studies, Canadian Blood Services, Edmonton, Alberta, Canada
| | - Marion C Lanteri
- Department of Laboratory Medicine, University of California in San Francisco, San Francisco, California, USA
- Scientific Affairs, Creative Testing Solutions, Tempe, Arizona, USA
| | - Denis Klochkov
- Research and Development, CSL Behring, Bern, Switzerland
| | | | - Marie-Pier Domingue
- Medical Affairs and Innovation, Héma-Québec, Montréal and Québec, Quebec, Canada
- Faculté des Sciences, Université de Sherbrooke, Sherbrooke, Québec, Canada
| | - Christian Renaud
- Medical Affairs and Innovation, Héma-Québec, Montréal and Québec, Quebec, Canada
| | - Marc Germain
- Medical Affairs and Innovation, Héma-Québec, Montréal and Québec, Quebec, Canada
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Leblanc JF, Custer B, Van de Laar T, Drews SJ, Germain M, Lewin A. HIV Pre-Exposure Prophylaxis, Blood Donor Deferral, Occult Infection, and Risk of HIV Transmission by Transfusion: A Fine Balance Between Evidence-Based Donor Selection Criteria and Transfusion Safety. Transfus Med Rev 2023; 37:150754. [PMID: 37741792 DOI: 10.1016/j.tmrv.2023.150754] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/18/2023] [Revised: 08/14/2023] [Accepted: 08/16/2023] [Indexed: 09/25/2023]
Abstract
Pre- and postexposure prophylaxis for human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) are key to reducing the transmission of this virus. Furthermore, low-toxicity, long-acting formulations provide additional clinical benefits, in particular easier adherence to treatment and prevention. However, breakthrough HIV infections can occur despite the use of pre-exposure prophylaxis (PrEP), mainly due to suboptimal adherence or multi-drug resistant HIV strains. Albeit rare, PrEP breakthrough infections have also been reported in fully adherent patients. Should such breakthrough infection occur in an eligible blood donor, PrEP might suppress viremia and delay antibody seroconversion, thereby masking the infection and increasing the risk of transfusion transmission. This possibility has raised concerns in the blood transfusion community but remains little documented. Therefore, a literature search was performed to assess the state of knowledge on the risk of PrEP breakthrough infection, with a particular focus on the risk of HIV entering the blood supply. Evidently, PrEP breakthrough infections are rare, although the risk is not zero. Moreover, a fraction of individuals - including blood donors - do not disclose PrEP use according to various surveys and measurements of HIV PrEP analytes. Additionally, viremia and seroconversion may remain undetectable or close to the limit of detection for a long time after cessation of PrEP, particularly with long-acting antiretrovirals. Therefore, current recommendations to defer donors for at least 3 months after the last dose of oral PrEP or 2 years for long-acting PrEP appear justified, as they safeguard the blood supply and public trust toward the system. These recommendations help to safeguard blood safety and public trust in the blood supply.
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Affiliation(s)
| | - Brian Custer
- Vitalant Research Institute, San Francisco, CA, USA; Department of Laboratory Medicine, University of California, San Francisco, CA, USA
| | - Thijs Van de Laar
- Sanquin Research, Department of Donor Medicine Research, Amsterdam, The Netherlands; Onze Lieve Vrouwe Gasthuis, Laboratory of Medical Microbiology, Amsterdam, The Netherlands
| | - Steven J Drews
- Microbiology, Donation Policy and Studies, Canadian Blood Services, Edmonton, Alberta, Canada; Department of Laboratory Medicine & Pathology, University of Alberta, Edmonton, Alberta, Canada
| | - Marc Germain
- Hema-Québec, Medical Affairs and Innovation, Montréal and Québec, Québec, Canada
| | - Antoine Lewin
- Hema-Québec, Medical Affairs and Innovation, Montréal and Québec, Québec, Canada; Université de Sherbrooke, Faculty of Medicine and Health Sciences, Sherbrooke, Québec, Canada.
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