Gay blood donors: OK if no sex for 5 years

At a time when the New Zealand Blood Service says the need for people to regularly donate blood is more urgent than ever, an independent expert review has confirmed that men who have had anal or oral sex with other men in the last five years should still be excluded from donating their blood.

The NZ Blood Service's rules currently exclude men who have had sex with men in the last ten years from giving blood, as that group of people are shown to be more likely to have contracted HIV. But the expert review paper released today recommends that the time period be reduced to five years, as this would not put the blood supply at any more risk of HIV exposure.

The wording of the 'health questions' given to potential blood donors was also under review, with medical experts recommending the phrase "sex, even 'safer sex' using a condom" be clarified to "oral or anal sex with or without a condom".

"It is the activities, not sexual orientation, that is the central issue," the report points out in response to criticism that the blood donor criteria discriminates against gay men.

 Gay blood donors: OK if no sex for 5 years
Gay NZ, New Zealan