Often men who have sex with men have to abstain totally from all sexual contacts for a number of months prior to the time of donating blood. This even if they have one steady partner — this applies even if they are married (Photo: Miłość Nie Wyklucza)

Stop the unscientific discrimination of blood donors

Nordics

Health & Society

Opinion

by Fredrik Saweståhl, Helge Ytterøy L’orange and Gerben Horst, Stockholm/Oslo/The Hague,

The need for blood in our health care services is high. The supply can many times be too low and there is a risk for a lack of blood in many countries. This is a serious problem across Europe and the EU.

With that in mind it is problematic that many countries have rules that basically exclude men who have sex with men from the possibility to be blood donors. This even if such bars are not evidence based.

Today it is still common that the rules are different for men who have sex ...

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Nordics Health & Society Opinion

Disclaimer

The views expressed in this opinion piece are the author’s, not those of EUobserver

Author Bio

Fredrik Saweståhl is president of the European Centre-Right LGBT+ Alliance and a Swedish MP. Helge Ytterøy L’orange is vice-president of the European Centre-Right LGBT+ Alliance and chairman of Åpne Høyre in Norway. Gerben Horst is a vice president of the European Centre-Right LGBT+ Alliance, and a representative of the CDA Pride Netwerk in the Netherlands.