Skip to main content
Home

Main navigation

  • Top stories
  • Health
  • Crime
  • Politics
  • Business
  • Tech
  • Culture
  • Sports
  • Weird
  • 1-1-2
Health
Politics
bisexuality
blood donations
COC
Dutch Assocaition of Hemophilia Patients
Edith Schippers
homosexuality
LGBT
Sanquin Blood Bank
sex
Tanja Ineke
Wednesday, 28 October 2015 - 17:08
Share this:
  • facebook
  • twitter
  • linkedin
  • whatsapp
  • reddit

Ban lifted on gay male blood donations; Advocates critical of new restrictions

A permanent ban on blood donations from homosexual men was lifted in place of new restrictions that state gay men may only donate blood if they have not had sex with another man over the last 12 months. The decision was announced by Edith Schippers, the Minister of Health, after she made her department's research on the subject available to members of Parliament. Because the ban still restricts sexually-active gay men from donating blood, even if they only practice safe sex, LGBT advocate Tanja Ineke found the new policy "very disappointing." In an interview with broadcaster AT5, Ineke, the head of non-profit COC Nederland, said, “The policy is only of practical importance for bisexual men in long-term monogamous relationships with a woman.” “I am a staunch supporter of emancipation and equality of people, and at the same time responsible for the safe blood supply in the Netherlands,” Schippers said in a statement. She said the year-long restriction is still necessary to guarantee donated blood is safe for use, adding that her office will continue researching the issue to determine if a shorter moratorium is possible. Ineke agreed that the security of the blood supply is the top priority, but said "the new policy will remain unnecessarily discriminatory. This proposal provides too little, too late." Finland, Sweden and the United Kingdom maintain similar policy, Schippers said in her statement.

Follow us:

Latest stories

  • Court declares Big Bazar bankrupt as workers go unpaid; 1,300 lose their jobs
  • Five explosions in Rotterdam takes year’s total to 136; Boy finds hand grenade in park
  • Schiphol Airport granted nature permit for up to 500,000 flights
  • Private real estate investors benefited from tighter mortgage standards: study
  • Temps to remain above 20°C as unseasonably warm weather continues into next week
  • Young generation experience stress over climate crisis: survey

Top stories

  • Young generation experience stress over climate crisis: survey
  • Amsterdam Mayor wants extra security measures for Ajax games following Sunday riots
  • DSW to raise monthly health insurance premium by record €11.50 per month
  • Woman on trial for murdering boyfriend with poison in 2020 found dead in Tilburg
  • Riots: Remainder of suspended Ajax-Feyenoord match to be played in empty stadium
  • Ten customs officers dismissed over drug crimes in four years

© 2012-2023, NL Times, All rights reserved.

Footer menu

  • Privacy
  • Contact
  • Partner content