Gay men will be able to give blood 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 lift the restrictions in light of recent studies。
Earlier this year experts from the Advisory Committee on the Safety of Blood, Tissues and Organs (Sabto) completed a review on the ban. They recommended lifting the restrictions, but only for gay men who have not had sex for a decade。
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。
A survey of homosexual men by the organizers of the UK's biggest gay pride parade suggested 95 percent of gay men would be willing to donate blood。
Today’s announcement was welcomed by human rights campaigner Peter Tatchell, but he said it fell short of lifting the ban on gay men who always use condoms。
The activist who launched the first campaign against the lifetime ban on gay and bisexual blood donors in 1991 added: "Most gay and bisexual men do not have HIV and will never have HIV. If they always have safe sex, have only one partner and test HIV negative, their blood is safe to donate. "
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。