The thorny issue of blood donation and sexuality is getting another public airing in North America, as the US considers rescinding the controversial ban on blood from men who have sex with men.

Currently homosexual men cannot give blood in the US, Canada and other countries worldwide, including the UK. In June the US Advisory Committee on Blood Safety and Availability will meet to ponder the legitimacy of this ban.

As explained in the notice of the meeting, the main rationale for the ban is that men who have sex with men (MSM) have a higher incidence and prevalence of a number of sexually transmitted diseases compared with the general population. Although donated blood is screened there is a ‘window period’ after a person infected with a disease can transmit it but before screening tests will pick up a problem.

CNN notes that the American Red Cross, America’s Blood Centers and AABB (the current name of the old American Association of Blood Banks) all support a loosening of restrictions on donations by homosexual people. And 17 senators recently criticised current policy in this area

“Not a single piece of scientific evidence supports the ban.” said Senator John Kerry, one of the signatories, in April. “A law that was once considered medically justified is today simply outdated and needs to end, just as last year we ended the travel ban against those with HIV.”

The issue is also kicking off north of America, where researchers writing in the Canadian Medical Association Journal say, “The current policy is counterproductive in terms of loss of donors, loss of good will, student protests, donor boycotts, among other negative effects. We believe that any potentially negative consequences of a change in deferral would be offset by the benefits.” (BBC.)

Image: Alamy