The Red Cross regularly launches appeals for blood donation, but unfortunately not all candidates who apply can become donors.
Every week, around 370 people come to donate their blood to the Luxembourg Red Cross. Overall, 13 percent of people who present themselves will ultimately not be able to make their blood donation, depending on common infections detected or medication taken beforehand by the candidates. These people are usually turned away for a short time to allow them to regain their full strength. A newly tattooed person will also be denied blood donation for a period to avoid blood infection.
The protection of both parties, donor and recipient, is crucial for the Red Cross.
Rarer, individual factors prevent some people from donating blood, for example in the event of iron deficiency. These donors can nevertheless donate their blood plasma. The same is true for some candidates, such as men who have had sex with another man or women who have had sex with a man who has had sex with a man.
Asked by us, the Luxembourg Red Cross insisted that “the donors’ sexuality did not interest them, homosexuals are not a problem in themselves“, but it is “at risk” behavior that is taken into consideration in order to avoid any risk for the recipient. The criteria have also evolved in 2021 in order to determine the risk rate according to the behavior of the donor A 12-month abstinence according to these criteria is requested in Luxembourg.A definitive exclusion is also ordered for people who lived in the United Kingdom during the “mad cow” crisis.
In mid-March, blood donation will be open unconditionally to homosexuals in France. The government has decided to drop any reference in the donation criteria to sexual orientation in order to put an end to a “discrimination”, announced in January the Ministry of Health. However, other criteria have been added to the list in order, again, to provide maximum protection for the receiver.
Blood donation saves lives! The Red Cross is listening to interested people who still have questions or who do not dare to take the plunge. Their website is full of practical information that can reassure and convince.
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