Wednesday 29 April 2020
Green Party NI Councillor Anthony Flynn has welcomed a change in the rules around blood donation for gay and bisexual men.
The Department of Health today announced that the rules in Northern Ireland have been brought into line with UK standards - with a three month blood donation wait policy replacing a twelve month wait.
Cllr Anthony Flynn said: “I welcome the changes coming into effect following decades of discrimination and the irrationality of the previous lifetime blood ban for gay and bisexual men.
“However, it’s regrettable that it’s taken a global pandemic to create this change.
“I also want to see a situation where blood donation rules are based on individualised risk assessments rather than sexual orientation.”
ENDS
