Proposition 53K1653

Projet de loi modifiant la loi du 5 juillet 1994 relative au sang et aux dérivés du sang d'origine humaine en vue de relever l'âge maximum autorisé pour le don de sang et de dérivés de sang.

General information ¶

Submitted by

The Senate

Submission date

June 22, 2011

Official page

Visit

Status

Adopted

Requirement

Simple

Subjects

blood transfusion public health

Voting ¶

Voted to adopt

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Contact form ¶

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Discussion ¶

July 7, 2011 | Plenary session (Chamber of representatives)

Full source

Mr. Speaker, I would have referred to the written report, but there is an oral report.

There was a vote on Tuesday in the Public Health Committee. There, the Senate colleagues unanimously approved the bill on extending the age of blood donors from 65 to 70 years, supported by all parties in the committee.

Several parties have also taken the word, pointing out the safety, the safety, the quality guarantees that are also included in the proposal in this area.

Therefore, I can only give a positive report on this draft, Mr. Speaker.

Mr. Speaker, Mrs. Reporter, thank you for scheduling this as soon as possible.

This bill, as it is presented here, will significantly increase the availability of blood. It is very positive that this is still approved before the recession, because even now during the summer months the need for blood will be high. I would like to express my thanks to everyone who helped make this possible.

This draft came on the initiative of Mr. Louis Ide, among others, in the Senate. It is a legislative initiative that can make the difference, because it is clear that there has been a decline in donors for several years. Transfusion centers lose 10% of their donors each year. The main reason for this is the age limit of 65 years.

At the same time, we expect an increase in consumption as the population over 65 years of age increases and now 75 % of the current blood supply is used for those over 65 years of age.

It is therefore very logical for us to raise that maximum age. The current age, by the way, is considered by the High Health Council to be very arbitrary and does not provide any additional safety for both the donor and the recipient.

There are also a number of benefits associated with older donors.

First, they are more regular blood donors. This will only benefit the supply and transfusion security.

Second, older donors are also safer blood donors. They are less often rejected due to risky behavior and their blood also does not lead to more undesirable reactions among the recipients.

For us, it is no more than normal that the maximum age for blood donors is increased by 5 years. This will allow them to continue to donate blood until the day before their 71st birthday. In addition, a number of donors who were suspended because of their age will be able to donate blood again.

The speed with which this proposal was unanimously approved in the Senate and in the House Committee on Public Health indicates that everyone is aware of the high urgency that can be addressed here and also of the fact that it is an excellent proposal.

I will also be brief, as this has been unanimously approved in the committee.

We also thanked the people at the time for realizing that raising the age of 65 to 70 is a very good proposal.

Most of the arguments have already been cited. Blood donation involves a fixed group of people who are committed to it. It would be very regrettable that one would deny exactly that group that is declining to continue to donate blood. Therefore, raising the age to 70 years is also logical.

I have already said in the committee that this is a very positive story. A whole group of people over 65 years of age are taken seriously with this. This says to them, “You are longer vital. Your blood is healthy. Use it anyway.”

I hope this will be unanimously approved today. The fact that blood can still be donated would be a very good signal for a very large group of the population.

We are very pleased that the debate in the Senate and the House has gone so quickly. We hope this will be unanimously approved.