Government 'committed' to making blood donation fairer

The Isle of Man Government is 'committed' to making blood donation fairer and more inclusive.

It comes following a call from Manx actor Joe Locke - who appealed to the government to change legislation which doesn't allow gay men to give blood on Island.

In a statement released to 3FM - government says in recognition of this, work is underway to change the Island’s blood donor selection criteria.

Officials have confirmed in future - donors won't be asked about their sexuality and men who have sex with men would no longer be automatically prevented from giving blood.  

Instead, a person’s eligibility to donate would be based solely on an assessment of their individual experiences, as part of their pre-donation health check.

This approach would mirror changes to blood donation policy in the United Kingdom in 2011, 2017 and 2020, which were based on recommendations from the Advisory Committee on the Safety of Blood, Tissues and Organs.

The Government hopes to provide an update in the first quarter of 2023.