The necessity for blood in our well being care providers is excessive. The provision can many occasions be too low and there’s a danger for a scarcity of blood in lots of nations. It is a major problem throughout Europe and the EU.
With that in thoughts it’s problematic that many nations have guidelines that mainly exclude males who’ve intercourse with males from the chance to be blood donors. This even when such bars will not be proof primarily based.
At present it’s nonetheless frequent that the foundations are completely different for males who’ve intercourse with males are to change into blood donors than the foundations utilized to heterosexual males. The group is assigned extra restrictions and longer intervals of deferral then others.
That is the case in nations reminiscent of Denmark, Norway, Sweden and Belgium. Which is shocking because the Nordic nations have a self-image of not discriminating towards individuals within the LGBT-group.
A typical instance of those guidelines is that blood donors that aren’t a part of the group males who’ve intercourse with males could also be blood donors so long as they have not had any new intercourse companions for a sure period of time.
That means they will nonetheless have an lively intercourse life with their associate.
Enforced celibacy
However usually males who’ve intercourse with males must abstain completely from all sexual contacts for a variety of months previous to the time of donating blood. This even when they’ve one regular associate — this is applicable even when they’re married.
That implies that males who’ve intercourse with males are pressured in to celibacy so as to be blood donors. Which is pointless, deprives the well being care of donors and constitutes a type of discrimination primarily based on sexual orientation.
It additionally deprives these males of getting a standard intercourse life with their regular associate, like heterosexual mail donors can have.
To ask this of homosexual married {couples} is a gross violation of the conjugal relationship of those male {couples}.
This isn’t essential. Every one that desires to be a blood donor deserves to be judged primarily based on their particular person behaviour — not prejudiced as being a part of one group. You’ll be able to have a sample of sexual contacts that will pose the next danger regardless of if you’re straight, bi or homosexual. It’s time to tackle this challenge and make it attainable for males who’ve intercourse with males to change into blood donors throughout Europe on the identical phrases as others as is the case in Eire, Spain, Germany and Malta to call some.
Join EUobserver’s every day publication
All of the tales we publish, despatched at 7.30 AM.
By signing up, you comply with our Phrases of Use and Privateness Coverage.
Blood from males who’ve intercourse with males just isn’t tainted. The fears of the previous will not be these of right now. If we let science trump discrimination, we are able to abolish guidelines that choose a gaggle and open the door for all people to be accepted or declined on their private, particular person, deserves as blood donors. It’s time for evidence-based guidelines for blood donation. This may elevate the potential variety of blood donors throughout Europe and can assist relieve the necessity for blood at our hospitals.
In march Swedish MEP Jessica Polfjärd of the European Individuals’s Occasion raised the difficulty within the European Parliament. Her suggestion is to regulate the EU excessive customary of high quality and security within the laws on blood, tissues and cells that’s beneath revision.
Stating that separate guidelines primarily based on belonging to a gaggle as a substitute of being assed as a person constitutes discrimination. That nationwide laws ought to keep away from this and as a substitute be primarily based on proof and a person danger evaluation. The European Centre-Proper LGBT+ Alliance helps this initiative.
There are ongoing campaigns and discussions in nations that also have guidelines that discriminate in direction of this group to create change. The European Centre-Proper LGBT+ Alliance helps these efforts.
We subsequently name upon governments and accountable authorities in EU member nations and each different nation in Europe to take motion for evidence-based blood donation and to cease discriminatory practises towards a gaggle of potential blood donors. Blood is blood and all blood is effective. Can we actually afford to behave every other means?
