The rules for donating blood have changed so that blood donors are now asked about sexual behavior instead of gender.
This makes it possible for gay men in permanent relationships to become blood donors, writes the organization Bloddonorerne Danmark in a press release.
The new rules are based on amended guidelines from the Norwegian Agency for Patient Safety.
Until now, it has been a quarantine period of four months for a gay man who has had sex with a man, in relation to donating blood.
It applied to all men who had sex with men – including those living in monogamous relationships.
It was considered to be discriminatory, and a working group under the auspices of the Swedish Agency for Patient Safety was set up to look at the rules.
Minister of the Interior and Health Sophie Løhde (V) said in a press release in December last year that a new model should be introduced, “which does not discriminate on the basis of gender or sexual observance, and which is at the same time sound from a health perspective”.
With the new rules, blood banks no longer have to ask about the partner’s gender.
This is a positive development, says chairman of Blood Donors Denmark, Bente Graversen.
– We see blood donation as a public issue. It is therefore very positive that we are now getting more inclusive rules.
– In this way, a new group of people get the opportunity to donate blood and plasma, but we do not compromise with either patient or donor safety, which is central, she says in the press release.
With the new rules, there will in future be a quarantine period for anyone who has had anal sex with a new partner during the past four months if they want to donate blood.
Several other countries – including Great Britain – have introduced similar rules in recent years, the Ministry of Health previously stated in a press release.
/ritzau/
Source: www.kristeligt-dagblad.dk
