New Zealanders are excluded from donating blood for many reasons, including sickness, a recent tattoo or not weighing enough. But the most controversial exclusion, which affects gay and bisexual men, is about to be scrapped.
Video / Alyse Wright / Jason Dorday
New Zealanders are excluded from donating blood for many reasons, including sickness, a recent tattoo or not weighing enough. But the most controversial exclusion, which affects gay and bisexual men, is about to be scrapped.
Three times as many gay and bisexual men will donate blood if “discriminatory” rules in New Zealand are changed to align with similar countries, a new study has found.
The survey of 3253 gay, bisexual, and takatāpui men found a large proportion were keen to donate blood but were “deferred”, or excluded, under the existing rules.
The New Zealand Blood Service, which has committed to changing the criteria, said the new study provided valuable evidence for a more inclusive blood donation system.
At the moment, men cannot donate blood if they have had oral or anal sex with another man in the last three months.
The “window period” is designed to reduce the risk of passing undetected HIV on to a blood recipient.
HIV rates are higher among gay men compared to the general population and blood screening processes may not pick up an infection which occurred within the previous eight days.
This “broad brush” approach excluded people who posed no risk of HIV transmission, such as people in a monogamous relationship or who had not had sex with new or multiple partners.
The United Kingdom and Canada have moved to a more individualised, gender-neutral screening process which allowed gay men to donate if they only had sex with a long-term partner in the last three months. The UK has also removed an exclusion for oral sex.
Associate Professor Peter Saxton, from the University of Auckland’s School of Population Health, said the time had come for New Zealand to follow these countries.
It would allow more gay and bisexual men to participate in an important civic act, benefitting all New Zealanders, without compromising safety, he said.
Only 13 per cent of those surveyed were able to donate blood under the existing rules. If the Canadian criteria was applied in New Zealand, that rate would jump to 41 per cent.
In all, 82 per cent of survey participants wanted to donate blood and 43 per cent had done so previously - either because they were older and had done so a long time ago, or because they were younger and did so before they were sexually active.
Asked whether they would prefer a more tailored policy based on individual risk, 86 per cent said yes.
Dr Peter Saxton said it was time for New Zealand to follow the UK and Canada in introducing a more inclusive policy on blood donation. Photo / RNZ
NZ Blood Service chief medical officer Dr Sarah Morley said the organisation was working on a new screening process for blood and plasma donors which was more inclusive and would enable men in single-partner relationships with other men to donate.
The results from the Sex and Prevention of Transmission Study (Spots) provided important supporting evidence that a change in policy would not compromise on the quality and safety of its blood supply, she said.
“We’re excited to start the journey of change and about the prospect of being able to welcome more gay, bisexual, takatāpui and other men who have sex with men into our whānau of lifesavers in the future.”
Saxton warned that the blood service would have to repair relationships with gay and bisexual New Zealanders if it wanted the new policy to succeed.
“A significant minority weren’t sure they could trust the blood service. They spoke of alienation, of feeling hurt by the policy. They weren’t sure they would donate if the policy changed.”
The blood service has previously said that changing the criteria would require sign-off from Medsafe and some technical changes to blood and plasma collection, which were expected to take place this year.
A more tailored screening process would require asking all donors, regardless of sexuality, some sensitive questions, such as whether they had anal sex in the last three months.
Saxton said this was one of the trade-offs in designing a new system, but he was confident that it would not put people off or reduce the overall rate of blood donation. Reviews of the UK system backed this up, and showed that safety had not been undermined.
The screening process could potentially be made less intrusive through completing forms online, which Saxton said the blood service was investigating.
Isaac Davison is an Auckland-based reporter who covers health issues. He joined the Herald in 2008 and has previously covered the environment, politics, and social issues.
