Inverclyde Liberal Democrats
About us News and Views Get Involved		Science not Stigma – Gordon Anderson This week was the Liberal Democrats Federal conference in which all of the associations involved within the UK federal party had the opportunity to alter or improve party policy in specific areas. Inverclyde was represented by Gordon Anderson and Andrew Page. A key issue of importance to Inverclyde that was debated was the Science not Stigma policy paper, which was centred around the UK government having an adult debate and evidence backed approach to the risk selection operations of the National Blood Service. Gordon Anderson said "It is of the utmost importance to people of Inverclyde who may require a blood transfusion that this motion is taken further by the UK Government as the current reforms, which would soon allow Gay men to give blood after 12months, do not go far enough in taking proper account of the scientific evidence" "As far as I can see the UK Government only changed the criteria after accepting it was already importing so called "gay blood" from Australia - which uses the 12 month timeframe - it has not fully explored the elements of risk" "The current rules surrounding blood donation would allow a straight person, who had been active the night before giving blood, to donate yet fails to recognise that a majority of men who have sex with men would be of less a risk than such an individual." "The motion debated in Birmingham called on the UK Government to introduce new evidence-based criteria to assess the risk of individuals who wish to donate blood. If was implemented by Government it would provide the UK Blood service with a so far untapped resource of Blood and reduce our dependency on imports" "When the Government is struggling with low donation rates it is only right that we maximise our opportunity when it comes to safe blood donors." "This is can't be merely branded as a "gay issue" - this is an issue that is effecting everybody and effecting our NHS patients now!" "We can't continue ignoring evidence or continue prejudice based on assumptions. The UK government must recognise that this is an opportunity to save lives and act." Andrew Page (Left) and Gordon Anderson (Right) at ICC Conference venue in Birmingham
Hosted by 123-reg,(Part of GX Networks) GX Networks Ltd, 5 Roundwood Avenue, Stockley Park, Uxbridge, UB11 1FF Published and promoted by G. Anderson and S. Hutton on behalf of Inverclyde Liberal Democrats at Inverclyde Liberal Democrats, 54 Kelly Street, Greenock, PA16 8TR The views expressed are those of the party, not of the service provider.