I propose to take Questions Nos. 1180, 1188, 1223, 1234, 1307 and 1313 together.
The remit of the Irish Blood Transfusion Service (IBTS) is to provide a safe, reliable and robust blood service to the Irish health system. A major objective of the IBTS is to ensure that it always has the necessary programmes and procedures in place to protect both the recipients and the donors of blood and blood products. The IBTS constantly keeps all deferral policies under active review, in the light of scientific evidence, emerging infections and international evidence, to ensure the ongoing safety of blood and the products derived from it.
The IBTS lifted its lifelong ban on men who have sex with men (MSM) from donating blood in January 2017, when the deferral policy was reduced to a period of one year following their last sexual encounter with a man. My Department has established a post-implementation surveillance monitoring group, which is scheduled to meet later this week. The group will assess the impact, if any, on the incidence of transfusion transmitted infections, following the change to donor deferral policies in 2017. The output of this Group will contribute to the evidence base that can inform future decisions on proposed changes to deferral policies, including any future changes to MSM deferral policy.
The IBTS established an independent ‘Advisory Committee for Social Behaviours Review’ to review the evidence base for donor selection, deferral and exclusion in Ireland in relation to social behaviours that may increase the risk of acquiring specific blood-borne infections. The Advisory Committee aims to conclude its work in September 2021 and submit its report to the IBTS for consideration. My Department will be engaging with the IBTS during the course of this work.