Birmingham University bans Blood Service
The National Blood Service (NBS), which handles Britain's blood supplies for NHS hospitals was banned from the University of Birmingham's freshers' fair last week.
The NBS holds regular blood drives to increase the numbers of donors nationally, including advertising campaigns aimed specifically at the student population.
Gay men are not permitted to donated blood, even if they have protected sex. This rule fell foul of the Birmingham University Guild of Students (BUGS) which felt that the exclusion of gay men is an unjustified discriminatory measure. Consequently BUGS officials decided to ban the NBS from freshers' fair 2005. The organisation maintains that the prohibition on gay men donating blood is a necessary measure to prevent the spread of HIV/AIDS and hopes to return next year.
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