Controversy
The service had come under criticism for a long implemented policy of banning men who have sex with men (MSM) from ever being blood donors. University students in both England and Scotland protested against the ban, and University of Birmingham's Guild of Students banned the National Blood Service from setting up a recruitment stall during Freshers' week.
The policy was changed and the ban on MSMs was amended so that MSMs are now not allowed to donate for 12 months after having anal or oral sex with another man (with or without a condom). Additionally women cannot donate for 12 months if they have had sex with a man who has had sex with another man.
Read more about this topic: National Blood Service
Famous quotes containing the word controversy:
“And therefore, as when there is a controversy in an account, the parties must by their own accord, set up for right Reason, the Reason of some Arbitrator, or Judge, to whose sentence, they will both stand, or their controversy must either come to blows, or be undecided, for want of a right Reason constituted by Nature; so is it also in all debates of what kind soever.”
—Thomas Hobbes (1579–1688)
“Ours was a highly activist administration, with a lot of controversy involved ... but I’m not sure that it would be inconsistent with my own political nature to do it differently if I had it to do all over again.”
—Jimmy Carter (James Earl Carter, Jr.)