Berlin (EFE)
“Sexual orientation should not be taken into account when assessing the risk that leads to exclusion from donating blood,” reads the new Law on Transfusions that was approved with the votes of the government coalition of Green Social Democrats and liberals.
The amendment obliges the Federal Chamber of Medicine to develop new rules to regulate donations, from which no group can be excluded in a generic way, but only individuals based on their personal behavior.
In addition, it eliminates other restrictions, such as the one that until now prevented those over 60 from donating blood.
“As a gay man I am glad to be able to donate blood soon,” said Liberal MP Jürgen Lenders, who criticized the existing regulation as “discriminatory and medically unnecessary.”
On the contrary, the amendment – which is part of the coalition agreement of the three government partners – was criticized by Christian Democrats and the far-right Alternative for Germany (AfD), who spoke of an “ideological decision”.
It was allowed to donate blood to homosexuals since 2021 but with discriminatory and unnecessary rules
In Germany, homosexual or bisexual men have been allowed to donate blood since 2021, but only if they have not had a new sexual partner or more than one sexual partner in a period of four months.
Before that year they were excluded from donations because they are supposedly exposed to a greater risk of contracting AIDS.
In recent years, blood donations in Germany have plummeted due to various factors and, according to the Red Cross donation service, blood banks at the federal level are in a critical situation.