Today the NHS National Blood Service welcomed the news that recommendations from the FAIR (For the Assessment of Individualised Risk) steering group to enable a more individualised way of assessing safe blood donations have been accepted in full by the Department of Health and Social Care.
This new recommendation will mean changes to the current rules for men who have sex with men and means that anyone who has had the same sexual partner for more than three months will be able to give blood from summer 2021.
The new process will be focused on sexual behaviour which is a fairer and reliable way to identify donors who may be at higher risk of new infections.
The National Blood Service will keep collaborating with and listening to LGBTQ+ representatives, patients and current donors to make sure by summer 2021 when they bring about these changes that their process for asking donors about their sexual behaviours is inclusive, allows donors to give accurate information and is done well.
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