Blood donation rules change to focus on individual risk assessment rather than sexuality

HIV Ireland which advocates for people living with HIV has welcomed changes to the rules surrounding blood donations – but said it is disappointed that some anomalies “that have no basis in science” continue to stigmatise individuals.

The Irish Blood Transfusion Service (IBTS) on Tuesday announced changes to blood donation rules with a move to individualised risk-based assessment for all potential donors. It follows years of advocacy from HIV Ireland among others which led to a reduction in the deferral period to four months for gay, bisexual and other men who have sex with men, announced in March 2022. The four-month deferral meant that a man, whose last sexual contact with another man was more than four months ago, was eligible to donate blood.

From November 28th further rule changes mean eligibility for blood donation is to be based on sexual history rather than blanket rules based on gender or sexuality.

“The IBTS is to be commended for the introduction of individualised risk-based assessments for blood donations,” said Stephen O’Hare, Executive Director of HIV Ireland. “The new policy, which will be applied to all potential donors, is key step in the ongoing development of what can eventually be a world leading blood donation policy in Ireland”, he said.

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Adam Shanley, a programme manager at HIV Ireland said the new approach “represents a fairer and more inclusive blood donor selection criteria which allows for more people to donate blood while protecting the safety of the blood supply for those who rely on it.”

“Eligibility will now be based on sexual practices that have been identified as higher risk for infection instead of membership of a sexual or gender minority,” continued Mr Shanley “something we at HIV Ireland have called to have changed for many years, “he said.

However Mr Shanley expressed disappointment on the retention of certain restrictions on blood donation, including a permanent ban for those who have ever contracted gonorrhoea and a ban on sexual partners of virally suppressed people living with HIV.

Mr Shanley said gonorrhoea was a virus that could be eliminated from the body and then be untransmittable and it did seem an ongoing ban on anyone who had ever had gonorrhoea “has no basis in science”. He said people who tested positive for HIV could not give blood, but science had demonstrated the partners of people with HIV, where that HIV was suppressed, could not catch the virus. He said banning the partners of HIV suppressed people was “another anomaly”.

“In reviewing ongoing deferral policies, every consideration should be given by the IBTS to the weight of robust scientific evidence on the efficacy of available treatments for STIs including in relation sexual partners living with HIV who are virally suppressed and cannot pass on HIV through sex,” he said.