Australian Red Cross to review gay blood ban

By Ruth Schneider at 365gay.com
04.13.2010 2:02pm EDT

A spokesman for the Australian Red Cross said the group plans to review its policy that bans certain gay men from donating blood, in an interview on Australia’s The World Today.

Being gay isn’t what stops potential donors of blood, Nicholas McGowan said, just those who have a sex life. “The people who are deferred under this policy are males who’ve had sex with males in the last 12 months.”

What about people who have unsafe sex?

“There are numerous questions which are highly personal in nature,” McGowan said, somewhat vaguely, of the questionnaire.

According to The World Today, “The Red Cross Blood Service hasn’t set a date for the review to report but it says it will consult widely with federal and state health authorities and it will include the latest international medical research.”

full interview: The World Today Australia.