Restrictions remain on gay male blood donors in France

There's a shortage of blood donors here in France at the moment. Indeed we're constantly being reminded of the fact by reports and advertising campaigns by the Etablissement Francais du Sang (French National Blood Service) stressing both the need and simplicity of giving blood.

And in an effort to encourage more people to be "eligible" the health minister, Roselyne Bachelot has announced that the age limit for donors will be increased from 65 to 70 years of age.

But as you've probably noticed from the headline there's one group in France which is still being barred from giving blood - homosexual men.

In an interview with the national daily newspaper Libération this week, Bachelot emphasised how important it was to remind people of the need to give blood especially at this time of the year when there's traditionally a shortage and blood banks around the country are making appeals for donors to step forward.

However she also said there would be no change in the restriction preventing gay men from giving blood - even though one of her predecessors in the job, Xavier Bertrand, had promised a review.

Gay rights groups have been particularly critical of Bachelot's decision as it comes from a woman who herself says "Everyone knows my personal engagement".

Back in 1998 when the French parliament was debating a change in the law to recognise same sex partnerships (PACS), Bachelot was one of the few from her party or indeed the whole of the centre-right to speak out in favour, and she has also made her position clear on gay marriage and homosexual couples being allowed to adopt children.

Her decision in the matter of whether gay men should be allowed to donate blood is, she insists, one based purely on the professional advice she sought and is founded on solid medical expertise.

"As far as AIDS or HIV goes there are two elements that have to be taken into account. First of all the time delay between someone being in contact the HIV virus and for it to be detectable in the blood. - that poses a real problem," she said.

"And then the figures speak for themselves. Between 10 to 18 per cent of gay men are HIV positive, whereas among heterosexual men and women the percentage is 0.2 per cent. Therefore there's a risk - and that risk is too great to take," she added.

Gay rights groups though contest Bachelot's thinking.

Act-Up argues that Portugal for example has recently opened up blood donorship for homosexual men without creating a health risk, and the group maintains that Bachelot is promoting "fictional discrimination."

Her reasoning is discriminatory "borderline homophobic" it insists on its website.

"According to Bachelot there are groups 'at risk', when in fact there are only sexual practices at risk," it maintains.

And it also contests the figures quoted by the minister, saying that ""today two-thirds of (HIV) contamination in France takes place among heterosexuals."

Bachelot though said her decision was purely one taken to ensure health safety.

"It's not a philosophical option," she insisted. "We'll keep monitoring (the trends) and if there's a change the restrictions will be amended accordingly."