Gay men will be able to give blood for the first time as Government restrictions are set to be lifted, it emerged today.
A lifetime ban was put in place in the UK in the 1980s as a response to the spread of Aids and HIV.
But politicians are expected to rethink the policy in light of recent studies recommended lifting the restrictions.
Earlier this year experts from the Advisory Committee on the Safety of Blood, Tissues and Organs (Sabto) completed a review on the ban.
Reports suggested their findings would recommend lifting the restrictions, but only for gay men who have not had sex for a decade.
A survey of homosexual men by the organisers of the UK's biggest gay pride parade suggested 95 per cent of gay men would be willing to donate blood.
Men who have had sex with another man in the past 12 months, with or without a condom, will still not be eligible to donate blood, the DoH said.
Sabto's advisory panel, comprising leading experts and patient groups carried out its review based on the latest available evidence and found it could no longer support the permanent exclusion of men who have had sex with men.
They considered the risk of infection being transmitted in blood, attitudes of potential donors in complying with the selection criteria and improvements in testing of donated blood.
The change means the criteria for men who have had sex with men will be in line with other groups who are deferred from giving blood for 12 months due to infection risks associated with sexual behaviours.
These include women who have slept with a man who has had sex with another man, people who have slept with prostitutes and those who have had sex with anyone who has injected themselves with drugs.
The change will be implemented by both NHS Blood and Transplant (NHSBT) in England and North Wales and the Blood Services of Scotland and Wales.
Source: http://www.telegraph.co.uk/health/healthnews/8749164/Gay-men-to-give-blood-for-first-time.html
A lifetime ban was put in place in the UK in the 1980s as a response to the spread of Aids and HIV.
But politicians are expected to rethink the policy in light of recent studies recommended lifting the restrictions.
Earlier this year experts from the Advisory Committee on the Safety of Blood, Tissues and Organs (Sabto) completed a review on the ban.
Reports suggested their findings would recommend lifting the restrictions, but only for gay men who have not had sex for a decade.
A survey of homosexual men by the organisers of the UK's biggest gay pride parade suggested 95 per cent of gay men would be willing to donate blood.
Men who have had sex with another man in the past 12 months, with or without a condom, will still not be eligible to donate blood, the DoH said.
Sabto's advisory panel, comprising leading experts and patient groups carried out its review based on the latest available evidence and found it could no longer support the permanent exclusion of men who have had sex with men.
They considered the risk of infection being transmitted in blood, attitudes of potential donors in complying with the selection criteria and improvements in testing of donated blood.
The change means the criteria for men who have had sex with men will be in line with other groups who are deferred from giving blood for 12 months due to infection risks associated with sexual behaviours.
These include women who have slept with a man who has had sex with another man, people who have slept with prostitutes and those who have had sex with anyone who has injected themselves with drugs.
The change will be implemented by both NHS Blood and Transplant (NHSBT) in England and North Wales and the Blood Services of Scotland and Wales.
Source: http://www.telegraph.co.uk/health/healthnews/8749164/Gay-men-to-give-blood-for-first-time.html
