Gay and bi-sexual men able to donate blood more easily under new rules for Northern Ireland
Rainbow hails incredibly significant and welcome announcement
More people will be able to donate blood under the new rules (Image: Getty)
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Historic day as restrictions eased on blood donations from gay and bisexual men in monogamous relationships in UK
Today s change in restrictions means that some gay, bisexual and MSM will not have to adhere to any period of abstinence before giving blood.
Top News
14 December, 2020.
Written by Katie Donohoe.
The UK’s Minister for Health, Robin Swann has announced a further ease on restrictions of rules for blood donations by gay, bisexual and men who have sex with men (GBMSM) in Northern Ireland.
In April this year, the one year abstinence period was reduced to 3 months. Under the new rules, GBMSM can donate blood if they have had one sexual partner who has been their partner for more than three months.
Health Minister Robin Swann has announced the relaxation of rules which prevented some gay and bisexual men donating blood.
The decision will allow some men who have sex with men (MSM) to donate blood, if they have had one sexual partner who has been their partner for more than three months.
It is expected that these changes will come into effect in summer 2021.
Under previous rules, all MSM had to abstain from sex for three months to donate.
Mr Swann said: I am pleased to be able to introduce this change to donor deferral policy in Northern Ireland, which means MSM in longer-term partnerships will no longer be automatically deferred from donating blood, provided they have been with the same partner for the previous three months and meet the revised medical criteria.
Robin Swann announces end of controversial gay blood ban Stevie Maginn make history with what is thought to be the first blood donation since the relaxation of Northern Ireland s controversial gay blood restrictions in April. Picture by Hugh Russell. 14 December, 2020 01:00
It follows years of campaigning against Northern Ireland s controversial `gay blood ban . Picture by PA Photo/thinkstockphotos
BLOOD donation rules have been changed to allow gay and bisexual men who have had the same partner for the previous three months to become donors.
It follows years of campaigning against Northern Ireland s controversial `gay blood ban .
Health Minsiter Robin Swann said he is pleased to be able to announce the decision which he stressed is based on expert advice from the advisory Committee on the Safety of Blood, Tissues and Organs (SaBTO) and was guided purely by science .