Blood Companies to advocate ending ban on donations from homosexual males – Nationwide

Male blood donors will now not be requested if they’ve had intercourse with one other man, however, together with girls, can be requested in future if they’ve had a number of sexual companions and anal intercourse.

Canadian Blood Companies says it plans to submit its advice to finish the homosexual blood ban to Well being Canada inside the subsequent two weeks.

Dr. Isra Levy, Blood Companies’ vice-president of medical affairs, mentioned on the group’s board assembly Friday that its submission will say sexual behaviour, not sexual orientation, determines threat of transmission of HIV.

Levy mentioned it is going to advocate that males giving blood now not be requested through the screening course of in the event that they’ve had intercourse with one other man.

“If the submission is authorised we can focus the donor screening on high-risk sexual behaviour. Particularly, the change would enable us to cease asking males if they’ve had intercourse with … another man,” he mentioned.

The proof was now “overwhelming that this transformation … won’t compromise security in any manner,” he mentioned.

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The blood service mentioned it had security proof from threat modelling, its personal analysis program and worldwide analysis, together with from the UK.

He mentioned the Canadian blood service had been in weekly contact with the U.Ok. blood service, which has already ended its homosexual blood ban.

Canada’s blood service plans to advocate to Well being Canada that screening questions be modified alongside U.Ok strains to finish discrimination towards homosexual males who need to give blood.

At the moment, males volunteering to present blood are requested if they’ve had intercourse with a person within the final three months. Ladies wishing to donate are requested if within the final three months they’ve had intercourse with a person who within the final 12 months had intercourse with one other man.

If the blood companies’ proposals are authorised, potential donors, each female and male, can be requested if they’ve had new or a number of companions as an alternative. In the event that they reply “sure,” they may then be requested if they’ve had anal intercourse, which carries the next threat than different sexual actions of transmitting HIV.

Levy mentioned blood companies has carried out intensive modelling and the brand new standards would enable screening for HIV “no matter gender or sexual orientation” whereas defending the protection of the blood provide.

He mentioned security remained “paramount” and “blood security wouldn’t be compromised by our proposed method.”

Canadian Blood Companies exams all donated blood merchandise for viruses and illnesses, together with HIV, however exams will not be 100 per cent correct. Screening is a vital a part of limiting threat to blood recipients, in keeping with the company’s web site.

Because it stands now in Canada, a homosexual man who has had intercourse with one companion within the final three months can not give blood, however a straight man might, even when he has had intercourse with a number of companions throughout the identical time-frame.

The federal government has mentioned it desires to expedite the method of ending the homosexual blood ban. Well being Canada is anticipated to make its resolution by spring subsequent 12 months.