The Department of Health has notified that homosexual men will be allowed blood donation. Consequently, men who practiced anal or oral sex will be permitted for blood donation. Earlier during the 1980s, authorities in the UK have imposed a lifetime ban on blood donation by gays.

Therefore, the Public Health Minister, Anne Milton, said that the authorities are responsible enough for carefully organizing the safe and adequate supply of blood needed for transfusion. Further, the minister has stressed on the need of necessary tests prior to any donation and said that scientific tests are essential for safety records.

In addition, Anne Milton has also hailed people for participating in blood donation campaigns only if they qualify the donor selection criteria as an attempt to protect their as well as recipients health.

While commenting on the announcement, the veteran campaigner claimed that all homosexual men who tend to have safe sex and are diagnosed HIV negative must be allowed for active participation in blood donation campaigns. Milton said: “Although the new policy is a big improvement on the existing discriminatory rules, a 12-month ban is still excessive and unjustified”.

Meanwhile, a recently published study revealed that 10.6% homosexuals donated their blood illegally by flouting the laid down guidelines.