Lionsgate is promoting the eighth installment of the "Saw" movie franchise through a blood drive and online ad campaign that addresses restrictive blood donation rules, reports The New York Times.
The ad campaign, called "All Types Welcome," challenges the Food and Drug Administration's blood donation rules that prohibit a majority of gay or bisexual men from giving blood. Current blood donation rules, enacted in 2015, require these individuals to abstain from same-sex encounters for at least one year before donating.
"We want this policy changed," Mark Burg, a producer for the "Saw" franchise, told The New York Times.
FDA spokeswoman Lyndsay Meyer told the publication the agency's celibacy policy replaced more restrictive blood donation rules for gay and bisexual men.
"While acknowledging at the time that the change to a 12-month deferral was less than hoped for by some, the FDA. considered this to be a first step," Ms. Meyer said, adding that additional studies are being conducted to help inform future changes to the rule.
The ad campaign features eight social media stars with large gay, bisexual and transgender fan bases dressed up as creepy nurses to promote the blood drive, which will start in New York City Oct. 5, before expanding to 25 other cities. "Jigsaw," the newest "Saw" film, hits theaters Oct. 27.
While Lionsgate has been holding blood drives in conjunction with its "Saw" movies since 2004, this is the first year the movie studio has taken a stand against the donation restrictions.