Lifetime ban on gay men blood donations may be justified, ECJ rules

The European Court of Justice has found that a lifetime ban on gay men giving blood donations may be justified in limited circumstances.

The court has ruled that the blanket ban is not a proportionate response if there are other methods of ensuring a high level of health protection for the recipients of blood products.

Gay men are banned from donating blood in Ireland over concerns about the transmission of infections such as HIV and hepatitis.

A similar lifetime ban in the UK was reduced to one year in 2011.

The European Court notes that the risk of non-detection of viruses is highest in the early stages after transmission when test results can come back negative.

The judgment is in response to a question from a French court.