The blood donation will be open in mid-March to homosexuals without conditions, the government deciding to abandon all reference in the criteria for donation to sexual orientation to put an end to a “discrimination”, announced Tuesday January 11 the ministry of the Health.
What was in the sights was question 43 which was addressed only to gay men: ” Have you had sex with another man in the past 4 months? “
It will no longer be asked of them. In the list of the many criteria allowing to donate blood “without risk”, any reference related to the sexual orientation of donors is now prohibited by law.
This is the law on bioethics adopted last year by parliamentarians, a reform made possible following a long fight led by associations for the defense of the rights of homosexual and LGBT communities and which puts a definitive end to this discrimination against them.
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From March 16, all French people, whatever their sexual orientation, will be able to donate blood!
We are ending an inequality that was no longer justified. #Blood donation? pic.twitter.com/wjnd1ylqt1– Olivier Véran (@olivierveran) January 11, 2022
Entry into force in March
On the other hand, what does not change in this questionnaire prior to donating blood are certain infections transmitted by blood such as HIV or different so-called risky sexual practices, for example any sexual relationship in exchange for money or drugs.
This measure, which still requires the creation of a new questionnaire by the French Blood Establishment, will come into force on March 16.
Before France, many countries, such as Spain, Italy, Israel and recently England, have already changed their conditions of access to blood donation in this direction.
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