Greek Court Overturns Policy Allowing Blood Donation from MSM
April 08, 2025
Greece’s top administrative court has overturned a 2022 decree from the Ministry of Health that removed sexual orientation questions from the country’s donor history questionnaire, the Greek newspaper
Kathimerini reported April 5. Prior to the ministerial decree, gay, bisexual and other men who have sex with men (MSM) had been permanently deferred from blood donation since 1977.
In its decision, the Council of State ruled that the change bypassed expert recommendations and lacked a supporting scientific study. The court also found that the ministry disregarded earlier guidance from two advisory panels, which advocated for time-based deferral periods. The Ministry of Health must now reevaluate the policy to ensure it aligns with both scientific evidence and constitutional protections, according to the report.
