THEGAYUK

Category: Front Page

  • All Party Parliamentary Group On Gay Blood Donation Launched

    The All-Party Parliamentary Group (APPG) on Blood Donation, a group of MPs and Peers from across the political spectrum who will inform on the Government’s review of blood donation in the UK was launched today in Parliament.

     

    © belchonock | Depositphotos

    A group of MPs and Peers from across the political spectrum came together today to promote the importance of donating blood and to inform on the upcoming review into who is able to safely donate blood.

    The APPG has been set up to help inform the Government review on blood donation rules which will determine whether gay and bisexual men will be able to donate blood unrestricted.

    The review will also take in to consideration those who have ever injected drugs or had money for sex and their viability on blood donation.

    At the present time gay and bisexual men are able to donate in England, Wales and Scotland but only if they are HIV negative and have not had sex with another man in the year.

    In Northern Ireland men who sleep with men are one of the groups who are still not permitted to donate blood.

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    The review was announced in Parliament in November in response to the campaign from FreedomToDonate and the Government is currently in discussions with stakeholders as to the terms of the review and its timeline.

    Speaking on the launch of the APPG, the Co-Chair, Stewart McDonald MP said,

    “Donating blood is a lifesaving action. It’s something that all those who can safely donate blood should be able to do so that’s why I’m proud to be Co-Chairing this APPG with Paula Sherriff MP.”

    Founder of the FreedomToDonate campaign, Ethan Spibey said,

    “Securing the review into who is able to safely donate blood was a huge milestone for our campaign and the setting up today of this APPG is yet another way we can ensure the best possible outcome for the review for all those affected. I set up this campaign when my Grandad went through a major operation, it’s my hope that I and many others can safely donate in the near future.”

  • THEATRE REVIEW | Miss Atomic Bomb

    ★★ | Miss Atomic Bomb

    It’s a bomb that goes off during the production of ‘Miss Atomic Bomb.’ It’s not an actual bomb but a stink and sink bomb.

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  • Government U Turns On Banning Poppers

    Government U Turns On Banning Poppers

    The Government has confirmed that it will not press ahead with plans to ban poppers through its psychoactive substance bill due to go live on the 6th April.

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  • HIV Charity Shocked At Government “U-Turn” On PrEP

    A leading HIV Charity in the UK has blasted the Government after NHS England announced plans to make PrEP more widely available were shelved.

    (C) marcbruxel Depositphotos
    (C) marcbruxel Depositphotos

     

    Leading HIV Charity Terrence Higgins Trust have said that plans to hold off on making PrEP more widely available across the NHS was failing groups of people who are at risk of being infected with HIV.

    In a statement released by NHS England, it affirmed that rolling out the drug to groups most at risk of new infection, was not their responsibility- despite initial results of drug trials showing a dramatic decrease in new infections.

    NHS England said it was “committed to working with local authorities, Public Health England, the Department of Health and other stakeholders,” in order to bring the drug to a wider audience.

    The pre-exposure prophylaxis (PrEP) drug if taken as directed is successful at reducing new HIV infections by 86%.

    Terrence Higgins Trust’s CEO said,

    “Over 2,500 men who have sex with men are diagnosed with HIV each year in the UK. This figure has not changed in a decade. It is quite clear that although we have had some huge advances in HIV treatment,  HIV prevention is something that we are still struggling with.

    “By denying full availability of PrEP we are failing those who are at risk of HIV. Today’s decision by NHS England to depart with due process, and, instead, offer a tokenistic nod to what has the potential to revolutionise HIV prevention in the UK, is shameful.

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    £2 Million – “Tokenistic”

    NHS England announced that a £2 million fund would be created to ‘run a number of early implementer test sites’ and would include a further 500 500 men at high risk of HIV infection.

    According to NHS England these will be undertaken in conjunction with Public Health England and will seek to answer the remaining questions around how PrEP could be commissioned in the most cost effective and integrated way to reduce HIV and sexually transmitted infections in those at highest risk.

    THT have called the £2 million figure ‘arbitrary’.

    Ian Green continued,

    “£2 million over two years for 500 gay men ‘most at risk’ is an arbitrary figure which seems ill thought out and will still deny the protection that PrEP offers to the people who most need it. We know that PrEP works and already have substantial data from a real world setting from the PROUD trial. PrEP has already been approved in the  US, Kenya, Israel, Canada, France.

     “And yet, our own government refuses to take responsibility for PrEP. Today’s statement makes it no clearer who is responsible – is it the Department of Health, local authorities, the NHS or Public Health England? We need answers , we need access., and we demand both.”

     

  • MP Who “Generally Voted Against Gay Rights” Appointed To Key Cabinet Role

    MP Who “Generally Voted Against Gay Rights” Appointed To Key Cabinet Role

    An MP who as a history of voting against gay rights on crucial laws has been appointed to the role of Secretary of State For Work And Pensions

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  • THEATRE REVIEW | The Narcissist

    THEATRE REVIEW | The Narcissist

    ★★★★ The Narcissist Portrays Theatrical Therapy

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  • London’s LGBT Film Festival, Flare Is Underway

    London’s LGBT Film Festival, Flare Is Underway

    Flare turns 30 this year. And what is Flare you might ask? It’s London’s LGBT Film Festival. Flare starts on Wednesday March 16th and continues up until Sunday March 27th. That’s ten jam-packed days of films, seminars, parties, and just plain lots of fun!The Pass

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  • Wait… What So Poppers Might Not be Illegal After all?

    Wait… What So Poppers Might Not be Illegal After all?

    The Government’s own advisory board on drugs have issued a report saying that Poppers are not a psychoactive substance.

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  • Victim Of “Homophobic” Acid Attack Scared Of Leaving Home

    Victim Of “Homophobic” Acid Attack Scared Of Leaving Home

    A man in Whitstable has spoken about the moment he says he was sprayed with a noxious liquid in what is being described as a homophobic attack.

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  • Court Forces ID Scanner Use At Brighton Gay Bar

    A court has ruled that a gay bar in Brighton must install an ID scanner if it is to stay open until 4AM.

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  • Trans Woman Jailed For Life For The Murder Of Her Father

    Trans Woman Jailed For Life For The Murder Of Her Father

    A woman has been jailed for life after being found guilty of murdering her severely ill father.

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