Terrence Higgins Trust actively supported and was directly involved in the review of blood donation regulations by SaBTO and we pledged to support the new recommendations as long as they were evidence-based. There is a clear legal requirement in UK law that the blood supply be as safe as possible. Therefore the priority of the National Blood Service must always be to prevent blood containing HIV or other blood-borne infections from being passed to patients who receive transfusions or blood products.
We have a proud history of campaigning for LGBT rights and against homophobia and will continue to do so, but we have always believed that this is primarily a public health issue, rather than a straightforward equality issue regarding homophobic discrimination.
In this review, Sabot announced that advances in the testing and processing of blood and other progress in scientific knowledge regarding blood borne infections, as well as details from a study on what proportion of MSM were complying with the ban, had allowed them to reassess the restrictions based on sexual behaviour.
Some 11 per cent of MSM interviewed in the research study conducted for the review had been defying the ban; however the vast majority had not been exposed to any risk of a sexually transmitted infection. Men disregarding the restrictions were shown to be broadly supportive of the 12 month deferral.
Despite significant advances in technology to protect the blood supply, which have reduced the risk of contamination to 1 per 4.3 million donations, there are still periods of time after transmission when blood borne infections cannot be detected in blood donations. These so called ‘window periods’ vary in length between individuals and according to the type of infection. Hepatitis B in particular has a long window period with 2 distinct phases where different antibody tests are required. A 12 month deferral rules out the possibility of any donations being made during such window periods.
HIV and syphilis can both be transmitted via oral sex as well as by penetrative sex and with condoms rarely used for oral sex; there is no guarantee that a high risk group donor is infection free.