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May 23, 2013
Canada to lift lifetime ban on gay men giving blood

New policy will see gay men who have been celibate for five years eligible to give blood in Canada

Canada is lifting its strict lifetime ban on gay men giving blood, although restrictions will still be in place.

The Canadian Blood Services are hoping to have the new policy in place by mid-summer 2013.

While there will no longer be a lifetime ban, men who have not had sex with other men in the last five years will be allowed to donate blood.

The new policy will replace the existing screening criteria, which excludes potential male donors who have had sex with another man since 1977 — the year HIV began spreading rapidly throughout North America.

March 29, 2013
It’s time the US eased the ban on gay men giving blood

Campaigner Michael Kevin Hernandez wants more gay and bisexual men to have the right to be superheroes and give blood

When was the last time you thought about being a superhero and saving a life?

When I ask people, 'Who is an everyday superhero?' you might answer a firefighter, police officer, doctor, those in the military who serve our country. But we can all potentially be a superhero. You may already be one and not even know it, because you can donate blood.

Each time we donate blood we can save up to three lives. Someone who has suffered a car accident can use an average 100 pints of blood. At that moment when you donate blood you are saving a life. That makes you a hero.

January 13, 2013
Canada moving to end lifetime blood donation ban on gay men

Canadian Blood Services have proposed an end to the country’s lifetime ban on gay men donating blood, recommending that those who have not had sex for five years or more should be acceptable donors

Canada looks set to end its lifetime ban on men-who-have-sex-with-men giving blood after a Canadian Blood Services recommendation that the ban be reduced to five years.

In September 2011 the Canadian Blood Services board of directors passed a motion committing the organization to re-examine its policy and in December it recommended to Health Canada that men-who-have-sex-with-men who have not been sexually active for five or more years should be considered acceptable donors.

December 27, 2012
Mexico begins accepting gay blood donations

Mexico this week began accepting blood donations from gay and bisexual men – becoming the first North American nation to do so. From now on sexual behavior not sexual orientation will determine who can donate

New blood donation regulations screening donors based on sexual history rather than sexual orientation have been implemented in Mexico, making it the first country in North America to end its ban on men who have sex with men donating blood.

The new regulations came into effect December 25 and now means any HIV and Hepatitis negative gay or bisexual man who has a history of safe sex and is not a sex worker or injecting drug user may donate blood.

The rule was approved in August and then published in the Official Journal of the Mexican Federation on October 26.

July 13, 2012
Gay blood is not poisonous

Summer Wu, volunteer for Shanghai-based lesbian organization Nvai, comments about how she feels about China’s lifting of the ban on lesbians giving blood

China lifted a ban on lesbians donating blood this month, but gay men are still strictly banned. Though I am pleased by this achievement, discriminatory regulation still exists.

June 28, 2012
Gay blood ban pressured for change at NI court

A Northern Ireland court has heard how a ban on gay men giving blood is ‘irrational and unlawful’

Lawyers representing an unidentified man have pressed the Northern Ireland health minister to lift a ban on gay blood donations.

The ban, in place since the 1980s, was lifted in England, Scotland and Wales in November 2011. However health minister, Edwin Poots, has maintained the ban saying it is to ensure public safety.

June 18, 2012
NI health minister urged to show evidence for 'bigoted' gay blood ban

SDLP slams Edwin Poots for 'repellent' backing of gay blood donor ban in Northern Ireland

Northern Ireland's health minister has been asked to produce evidence after continuing to back a 'bigoted' ban on gay blood donors.

Speaking on the BBC Sunday Politics NI program yesterday (17 June), Edwin Poots said he received two new pieces of research that strengthened his position and said he wants to extend the ban to others who also engage in 'high risk' sexual behavior.

June 17, 2012
Health Minister stands by ban on UK gay blood donors

Edwin Poots suggests people who have sex with prostitutes and Africans should also be banned from giving blood

Health Minister Edwin Poots is standing by his decision to ban gay men in Northern Ireland from donating blood.

Speaking on the BBC Sunday Politics NI programme today (17 June), Poots said he received two new pieces of research this week that strengthened his position.

However Poots has said he does not want the ban to apply to gay people only.

He said: ‘I think that people who engage in high risk sexual behaviour in general should be excluded from giving blood.

June 14, 2012
Call for lifting of gay ban on World Blood Donor Day

Gay and bisexual men around the world are still banned or restricted from giving blood, even when risk is low

Campaigners are marking World Blood Donor Day by calling for the ban and restrictions on gay men giving blood to be lifted globally.

Today (14 June), the World Health Organization (WHO) is urging people to be a 'hero' and give the 'life-saving gift' of blood.

On its website, the UN agency states that 'every one of us can become a hero simply by giving blood'.

However, gay and bisexual men in most countries around the world are banned entirely from donating and in many where it is allowed, are required to abstain from sex for at least a year.

June 12, 2012
US senators seek to end ban on gay men donating blood

Senator John Kerry urges health officials to rely on 'science of today not the myths of 20 years ago'

Senator John Kerry wants the US Department of Health to end its policy of banning gay or bisexual men from donating blood.

Kerry and US Congressman Mike Quigley of Illinois on Monday (11 June) sent a letter to the department urging it to move forward with a study that looks at ending the ban which has been in place since the height of the HIV/AIDS crisis in the 1980s.

May 24, 2012
Review of blood donation discrimination does not go far enough

An Australian Red Cross review of blood donations rules does not go far enough to end discrimination against gay men, campaigners say

Campaigners who want to change Australia’s discriminatory blood donation rules for gay men say a review by the Australian Red Cross does not go far enough.

The newly published review recommends that the time gay men have to abstain from sex before giving blood be reduced from 12 to six months.

The Tasmania Gay and Lesbian Rights Group said that if the new recommendations are introduced the majority of gay men will still be unable to give blood.