Proposition 54K3346

Projet de loi modifiant la loi du 5 juillet 1994 relative au sang et aux dérivés du sang d'origine humaine et la loi relative à l'assurance obligatoire soins de santé et indemnités coordonnée le 14 juillet 1994.

General information ¶

Submitted by

MR Swedish coalition

Submission date

Nov. 8, 2018

Official page

Visit

Status

Adopted

Requirement

Simple

Subjects

EC Directive blood transfusion simplification of legislation public health

Voting ¶

Voted to adopt

Groen CD&V Vooruit Ecolo LE PS | SP ∉ Open Vld N-VA LDD MR PVDA | PTB PP VB

Contact form ¶

Do you have a question or request regarding this proposition? Select the most appropriate option for your request and I will get back to you shortly.

Discussion ¶

Nov. 29, 2018 | Plenary session (Chamber of representatives)

Full source

I refer to the written report.

Mr. Speaker, the Ecolo-Groen group will vote for this law reform. It seems to us positive because it will allow, on the one hand, to facilitate the work of blood banks and, on the other hand, to expand the number of potential donors. This also allows Belgium to catch up with its delay in comparison to what other European countries and the European Union offer.

We use this to remind us of our request to change the criteria established by law in order to be admitted as a donor. The law now includes discrimination against homosexual men. We cannot accept it. We should no longer stigmatize a community based on identity, but rather refer to risk behavior to determine donors. There are examples in Europe.

I heard Mrs. Minister explain in a committee that blood donation is allowed under certain conditions and that an assessment must be carried out before continuing to develop the law. Some European countries have already made progress. In England, it was reduced to a period of 3 months instead of 12. Therefore, it is the practices that are targeted and not a specific group of people. We should be inspired by what our neighbors are doing to change the legislation.

Mr. Speaker, I would like to thank all the colleagues in the Health Committee, with whom we had an excellent and constructive discussion.

These provisions are extremely important because there is a shortage of blood donors in Belgium. This new approach will solve part of the problem. If we start from the principle that the law will be implemented now, within the next 5 years, we will allow 8,000 donors to continue to donate their blood. These guidelines have already been put in place in other countries and have proven themselves.

Once it was not usual, we worked extremely constructively.

Mr. Speaker, I am very pleased that my colleague Ecolo has joined the position I have been defending for a long time, Ms. Health Minister knows. Indeed, concerning the blood donation of homosexuals, I already spoke in 2008 with Ms. Minister Onkelinx.

I am pleased with this first step that was graved, and I congratulate Ms. De Block on this. To the question I asked her, she replied that she would make a balance of this first step next year. If I listened, this step would have passed a long time ago, but I can understand that Mrs. Minister must also take into account – this was also the case of Mrs. Onkelinx – the opinions of the Higher Health Council, which are very conservative. I think we are right, you and I, to continue working for this goal.

Mr. Speaker, I would like to thank the members of the committee for discussing this draft technical law on blood and blood derivatives of human origin.

There are two important things that people at home should know. First, the age limit of 70 years is removed. If you have been a donor before, you can continue to donate blood. This will allow us to allow 8,000 donors to continue to donate blood, the blood we really need.

I understand Ms. Schlitz. As I said in the committee, at the time, when Mr. Flahaux had questioned Ms. Onkelinx, the opinion of the Superior Council was quite negative. Furthermore, the Red Cross, responsible for the safety of blood, was, at that time, also negative. We have evolved, especially through scientific research. We have taken a step forward, as Mr. Flahaux said.

Of course, I am open to further relief, with a shorter abstinence period for men who donate blood and have sex with men, but it should always be safe. The person who receives the blood must be sure that this blood is not contaminated and is safe. This is the concern of the High Health Council, but also of the Red Cross and of course also of the Minister of Public Health. We do what is necessary to, if it is safe, be able to ease this in the future.