Germany will amend its pointers for donating blood. (Representational)

Berlin:

Germany will amend its pointers for donating blood so the identical guidelines apply to everybody no matter their sexual orientation, the nation’s well being minister mentioned on Tuesday.

Official pointers can be tailored in order that potential donors are not assessed otherwise based mostly on their sexual orientation, Karl Lauterbach informed the RND broadcaster.

“Whether someone can become a blood donor is a question of behavioural risk, not sexual orientation,” Mr Lauterbach mentioned.

“There must also be no hidden discrimination on this issue,” he added.

According to present pointers from the German Medical Association (BAK), males who’ve intercourse with males are solely allowed to donate blood in the event that they haven’t had “a new or more than one sexual partner” up to now 4 months.

Other individuals are assessed on whether or not they’re “frequently changing partners”.

The guidelines date again to the HIV/AIDS epidemic within the Nineteen Eighties, when homosexual males had been thought to hold the next threat of passing on the virus.

Under the brand new guidelines, potential donors can be assessed solely on the “basis of the individual behaviour of the person willing to donate”, in accordance with RND.

An modification to the legislation will come into drive on April 1, after which the BAK may have 4 months to provide you with new pointers, the report mentioned.

The German Lesbian and Gay Association (LSVD) welcomed the plans, calling them “long overdue”.

Christine Aschenberg-Dugnus, a well being skilled for the liberal FDP get together, mentioned the earlier pointers had been “not only out of date, but simply discriminatory”.

“Anyone who wants to donate blood should be able to do so. Because donating blood saves lives,” she mentioned.

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