Cian O'Callaghan (Dublin Bay North, Social Democrats)
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588. To ask the Minister for Health the policy justification for the lifetime ban on donating blood for persons that previously had a gonorrhoea infection that is now cured; the way in which this compares to other EU countries; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [7844/20]

Cian O'Callaghan (Dublin Bay North, Social Democrats)
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589. To ask the Minister for Health if he will review the 12-month blood donation ban for gay and bisexual men in view of the recent policy changes in Northern Ireland and elsewhere in which the ban has been reduced to three months; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [7845/20]

Simon Harris (Wicklow, Fine Gael)
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I propose to take Questions Nos. 588 and 589 together.

The Irish Blood Transfusion Service (IBTS) lifted its lifelong ban on men who have sex with men (MSM) from donating blood in January 2017, when the deferral policy was reduced to a period of one year following their last sexual encounter with a man.

The recent changes in deferral policy internationally have been noted by the IBTS.

The IBTS has advised that the changes in deferral policy for MSM internationally will be reviewed by an Advisory Group being established by the IBTS to review the evidence base for donor selection, deferral and exclusion in Ireland relating to social behaviours that may increase the risk of acquiring specific blood borne infections (HIV, HBV, HCV, syphilis and gonorrhoea).

Gonorrhoea is a serious sexually transmitted infection associated with populations with increased LGV, syphilis and HIV prevalence. As such, the IBTS has advised that it must be viewed as a marker of higher sexual risk-taking, which in a blood donor could pose an increased risk to the blood supply and to blood recipients. Accordingly, under the IBTS blood deferral policy, individuals who have ever had gonorrhoea are permanently excluded from donating blood.

The only data available to the IBTS for comparison was from the UK, who currently have a 12 month deferral policy in place for individuals who have completed treatment for Gonorrhoea.

The IBTS will continue to keep all deferral policies under active review in the light of scientific evidence, emerging infections and international experience.