Norway changes blood donation rules for gay men
The regulations for giving in blood in Norway have changed so that the rules are the same for heterosexual and gay men.
The Norwegian Directorate of Health has changed its recommendations to allow non-heterosexual men to donate blood under the same rules as heterosexual men.
Under the previous rules, gay and bisexual men had to wait for 12 months to pass since their last sexual contact with another man to be able to donate blood.
This rule also stopped non-heterosexual men in a long-term monogamous relationship with a person of the same gender from being able to donate.
A prospective donor can now give blood when six months since their last change of sexual partner has passed, regardless of whether they are heterosexual, homosexual or bisexual and in a relationship with another man.
“Blood donors make an invaluable contribution to society and to other people. I am happy that we now have an updated professional knowledge base and that it is opened up so that men who have sex with men in stable relationships can donate blood,” Minister of Health and Care Ingvild Kjerkol said in a press release.
In Norway, several groups are barred from giving blood or need to undergo a quarantine period before donating. Gay men were subject to stricter rules as the authorities ruled that the group were at higher risk of becoming infected with HIV.
Still, donated blood is screened and tested for viruses and bloodborne diseases before it enters blood banks.
While the Norwegian Directorate of Health’s recommendations have changed, it may take a while for blood banks to begin accepting donations from gay men as their questionnaires designed to filter out those who can’t give blood will need to be updated to reflect the new recommendations.
The health directorate has said it aims for full equality for blood donation between heterosexual, homosexual and bisexual men in a relationship with a man by the start of 2024.
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The Norwegian Directorate of Health has changed its recommendations to allow non-heterosexual men to donate blood under the same rules as heterosexual men.
Under the previous rules, gay and bisexual men had to wait for 12 months to pass since their last sexual contact with another man to be able to donate blood.
This rule also stopped non-heterosexual men in a long-term monogamous relationship with a person of the same gender from being able to donate.
A prospective donor can now give blood when six months since their last change of sexual partner has passed, regardless of whether they are heterosexual, homosexual or bisexual and in a relationship with another man.
“Blood donors make an invaluable contribution to society and to other people. I am happy that we now have an updated professional knowledge base and that it is opened up so that men who have sex with men in stable relationships can donate blood,” Minister of Health and Care Ingvild Kjerkol said in a press release.
In Norway, several groups are barred from giving blood or need to undergo a quarantine period before donating. Gay men were subject to stricter rules as the authorities ruled that the group were at higher risk of becoming infected with HIV.
Still, donated blood is screened and tested for viruses and bloodborne diseases before it enters blood banks.
While the Norwegian Directorate of Health’s recommendations have changed, it may take a while for blood banks to begin accepting donations from gay men as their questionnaires designed to filter out those who can’t give blood will need to be updated to reflect the new recommendations.
The health directorate has said it aims for full equality for blood donation between heterosexual, homosexual and bisexual men in a relationship with a man by the start of 2024.
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