Lifetime ban on blood donations from gay men lifted in Northern Ireland

Northern Ireland has announced that the lifetime ban on blood donations from men who have had sex with other men is to be lifted.

This follows an Appeal Court ruling in March which confirmed that this is a devolved matter, as well as substantial evidence showing that the risk of contracting HIV from donated blood is lower with a one-year deferral than with a lifetime ban.

The ban was initially introduced in the 1980s across the UK and many other countries, as a response to the emergence of AIDS during the decade.

In May 2011, the UK Advisory Committee on the Safety of Blood, Tissues and Organs said the evidence no longer supported the ban, leading to a one-year deferral to be introduced instead in England, Scotland and Wales  by November of that year.

However, the measure has remained in place in Northern Ireland until now. Health minister Michelle O'Neill confirmed the change will take effect this September, while reminding donors of the need to comply with the deferral rules.

Ms O'Neill said: "Evidence from across the UK has provided assurance that the risk is lower with a one-year deferral. My decision is based solely on the evidence regarding the safety of donated blood."