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Blood Donation

14 December 2020

Proposing MP
Matt Hancock
N/A
Type
Written Ministerial Statement
Department
Department of Health and Social Care
View on Parliament.uk -->

At a Glance

Issue Summary

The Government is updating blood donor selection criteria to enable men who have sex with men in long-term relationships to donate blood from summer 2021.

Action Requested

The government will implement a gender-neutral selection policy based on individual risk assessment, reducing the deferral period for high-risk behavior regardless of sexual orientation. This change is expected to be rolled out by Summer 2021 with ongoing monitoring for safety.

Key Facts

  • The lifetime ban on blood donation by men who have sex with men was lifted in 2011.
  • In 2017, the UK reduced the deferral period from twelve months to three months.
  • The FAIR steering group reviewed and advised on a more individualised risk-based approach in October 2020.
  • The changes will be rolled out by Summer 2021.
  • Monitoring mechanisms for safety of donors and patients will be in place.
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