Men who have sex with men should be able to donate blood, according to six parties across the political spectrum, who want the health minister, Nick Hækkerup, to revise a ban against homosexual male blood donors, Information reports.
Gay men can't donate blood today, because their lifestyle makes them more likely to contract sexually transmitted diseases like HIV and Hepatitis than straight men.
LGBT rights groups claim the ban is based on homophobia and that gay blood donors should be evaluated individually.
EL: Crazy to exclude gay donors
Enhedslisten wants the ban lifted because it currently excludes potentially important male donors from giving blood.
"We constantly have to recruit new blood donors and we especially need younger men, who generally have a high blood percentage and are vital donors," Enhedslisten's health spokesperson, Stine Brix, told Information.
"It's crazy to exclude a larger group for no scientific reason."
Ban lifted in other countries
Men who have had sex with other men may donate blood in several countries, including Uruguay, Mexico, Portugal and Russia, while countries like Finland, Sweden and the UK allow men to donate blood if it's more than a year since they last had sex with a man.
Most developed countries have no laws banning homosexual women from donating blood.
The health minister said he is ready to discuss the controversial gay blood donor ban with health spokesmen from the other parties.
