Rule change allows gay and bisexual men to give blood

A man has spoken of how he was asked to leave while giving his twelfth pint of blood because of a blanket ban on donations from men who have had recent sex with another man.

It comes as that ban is lifted with a new criteria focusing on individual behaviours.

It means men who have sex with men in a long-term relationship will be able to donate blood by summer 2021.

Arron Bevan-Jones from Blood Equality Wales said it would ultimately make the process safer.

14 December 2020