While countries like the US isn’t allowing gay men to donate blood Denmark is getting ahead of them with respectable and understanding rules on the subject.
According to the Copenhagen Post, Ellen Trane Nørby, the health minister in Denmark recently announced that the government will be shortening the duration in which men who have sex with other men can donate blood.
The new rules state that any men can donate blood after a period of fourth months without having sex with other men. Even better, this period wait is voided if the donator is in a relationship with one partner.
“The authority [patient safety] has found a model we feel is safe and we will therefore incorporate it into Denmark. All safety mechanisms in our blood donation system are built on trust and we have some very advanced tests that screen the blood,” Nørby told DR Nyhede,
These updated rules take into consideration that many HIV tests are now able to detect the disease after three months of infection.
Meanwhile, countries/territories like Hong Kong and The United States of America are upholding a 12 month wait period, which has incited protests from celebrities like Lance Bass and charities like t-shirts printed in gay men's blood.
That said, Denmark isn't alone as Wales lowered its time restraint last year to 3 months.
While US citizens await their turn for this recent trend of lowering donation times after sex, Denmark's rules are set to go into effect at the start of 2019.
h/t: Copenhagen Post