Greece has officially removed its decades long – term ban preventing gay and bisexual men from donating blood.
Greece Health Minister Thanos Plevris and his deputy Mina Gaga On Jan. 10 signed a ministerial decree instituting the policy change, which brings in a new form for people to complete when they want to donate blood. The new form has removed homosexual sex acts from the list of things prohibiting people from giving blood.
The latest development brings to an end a ban on gay and bisexual men donating blood which has been in place since 1977. The previous form for prospective donors stated that any man who has sex with other men is not allowed to give blood.
LGBTQ rights activists appreciated the move since it affords gay and bisexual men the opportunity to donate blood without the false pretence of being straight men.
Most countries reportedly still have blanket ban on Gay and bisexual men donating blood due to the HIV/AID pandemic surge in 1980.