Tech & Rights

Dutch Ban on Blood Donations from Gay Men Is Discrimination

Blood can be life saving and that's why blood donation is of great importance. In the Netherlands, men who have sex with other men may not donate blood. They're being permanently excluded as donors by the Sanquin...

by PILP
Photo: Matt Buck - Flickr/CC content

Blood can be life saving and that's why blood donation is of great importance. In the Netherlands, men who have sex with other men may not donate blood. They're being permanently excluded as donors by the Sanquin Blood Supplies Foundation. The Netherlands Institute for Human Rights rules that permanent exclusion leads to discrimination against homosexual and bisexual men. Research from the University of Maastricht and Sanquin itself points out that the permanent exclusion of these men is no longer necessary to have safe blood. It is therefore time to change the policy of selecting donors.


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