{"id":5962,"date":"2020-12-18T06:00:07","date_gmt":"2020-12-18T06:00:07","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.better2know.co.uk\/blog\/?p=5962"},"modified":"2020-12-18T12:08:38","modified_gmt":"2020-12-18T12:08:38","slug":"blood-donation-rules-change-for-gay-and-bisexual-men","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.better2know.co.uk\/blog\/blood-donation-rules-change-for-gay-and-bisexual-men\/","title":{"rendered":"Blood donation rules change for gay and bisexual men"},"content":{"rendered":"\n

Current\nrules prevent gay or bisexual men who have engaged in oral or anal sex within\nthe past three months from donating blood. However, these rules are set to\nchange, allowing men who have sex with men (MSM) to be able to donate blood in\nthe same way as all other blood donors.<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n

Under the current rules, there are considerations for gay and\nbisexual men who wish to donate blood. The rules state that MSM who wish to\ndonate blood must abstain from anal sex for three months prior to their blood\ndonation appointment.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

According to blood.co.uk<\/a>, the current three-month period for gay and bisexual men is in place for two reasons. Firstly, anal sex bears an increased risk in terms of acquiring some sexually transmitted infections (STIs) such as HIV. Secondly, waiting three months provides a reliable \u2018window period\u2019 for any infections to be detected once the blood is tested after donation.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

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How have the rules for MSM changed over time?<\/h2>\n\n\n\n

Before 2011, gay and bisexual men were not able to give\nblood. Then, in 2011, the rules allowed MSM to give blood, but only after abstaining\nfor 12 months. In 2017, this was shortened to a 3-month wait. The new rules, set\nto be introduced in 2021, look at individual situations and consider that every\ndonor carries a risk, rather than categorising all MSM under the existing\nrestriction.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

This means that all blood donors will be treated the same.\nThose who have had only one sexual partner and have been with that partner for\nat least three months will be able to donate, regardless of:<\/p>\n\n\n\n