Fintan Warfield (Sinn Fein) | Oireachtas source

Pre-exposure prophylaxis, PrEP, is a prevention option for people at substantial risk of HIV. It has been approved by the World Health Organization. Currently, only one medication has been approved for use as PrEP which is marketed under the name of Truvada, and it is a combination of two antiretroviral drugs. It is also used for HIV treatment in combination with other antiretroviral drugs. Taken daily, PrEP reduces a person's risk of contracting HIV by more than 99%.

In light of the permanent ban on gay men donating blood, on a questionnaire from the Irish Blood Transfusion Service, IBTS, for those who wish to donate blood, question 52 asks whether the individual has taken PrEP in the past five years. The HSE is engaged in a process to make PrEP available in Ireland, but there is no indication as to how long that will take. We know that people in Ireland are taking PrEP, perhaps accessed via the Six Counties or Europe. Sinn Féin asked the Minister for Health, Deputy Harris, for the reasoning behind question 52, and he said in a reply that I received this morning, "Question 52 was added to the IBTS Donor Health & Lifestyle Questionnaire on 16 January this year when the permanent deferral of men who have sex with men ... from donating blood was changed from a lifetime ban to a 12 month deferral from the most recent sexual contact with another man." Essentially, I or any other man who has sex with a man has to wait 12 months to donate blood. That is not in line with international best practice of around three months.

I am informed by the Minister that the reason question 52 is on the questionnaire is, "Persons who have taken medication to prevent HIV infection, i.e. ... PrEP ... are [now] deferred for a 5 year period." This is a massive U-turn in terms of LGBT rights and in terms of the commitment for gay men to donate blood. While I will admit it is possible after a 12 month period, we are increasing that fivefold for those who have taken PrEP. I want the Minister, Deputy Harris, to come into this House and address this matter.