Possible end to blood ban on gay men in Israel

If the clause is changed, any man who last had same-sex intercourse 10 or more years ago will be able to donate blood. Currently, anyone wishing to donate blood must fill out a comprehensive questionnaire, which also lists, in red, a list of disqualifications.

These include various diseases, including having or being exposed to “mad cow disease”, various nerve disorders, drug use, and a positive HIV test. The clause disqualifying gay men says: “Having had male homosexual relations since 1977″ – the year AIDS was first diagnosed.

Both Magen David Adom’s National Blood Bank (MDA) and the Health Ministry say the clause is similar to ones found in many countries worldwide.

Discussions over the subject go back at least to 2004, when it was suggested the clause on the blood donation form would be rewritten to disqualify anyone who had engaged in unprotected same-sex intercourse during the previous six months (six months being the window of time during which HIV antibodies begin showing up in someone infected with AIDS via sex). However, nothing arose from this discussion, and the clause remained.  Read More