USI IS TO ADVISE its member colleges to review their policies with regard to the Blood Transfusion Service Board, following allegations of discrimination by the board against gay and bisexual men.

The decision follows an attempt last week by Duane Farrell, USI's lesbian, gay and bisexual rights officer, to give blood at Pelican House, the BTSB's Dublin headquarters.

Farrell says he believes a boycott might now be necessary to force the BTSB to reconsider its policy. The BTSB is to meet with members of the gay community to discuss the situation.

Farrell claims he was told that his blood was unacceptable by one of the doctors at Pelican House. When he asked for a reason, he says he was told by the doctor that "gay men could go out and get drunk and do things to which they might not admit". According to Farrell, he was also told that the policy was indeed discriminatory, but that it was a necessary evil.

"I find it hard to believe that, in a society which believes that homosexuals are equal citizens, such discrimination exists and is tolerated, considering that all blood to be used has to be screened regardless," Farrell says.

He describes the policy as blatantly discriminatory against men who have had any same sex sexual encounters. "To a certain extent, we realise that safeguards have to be in place, but we feel they are automatically assuming that we are engaged in unsafe sex," he says.

"The BTSB does get an awful lot of support from the colleges and we would ask member colleges to take it under review."

USI president Colman Byrne called for an immediate review of the matter by the BTSB and also advised USI's member colleges to consider their relations with the board. "There is a long history of cooperation between third level institutions and the Blood Transfusion Service Board," he says. "Some colleges organise buses to visit Pelican House while others actually let the BTSB operate from within the colleges."

The BTSB responds by stating that most western countries have asked gay men to refrain from giving blood. "While all blood donations are now tested for dangerous viruses, there is still a risk that an infectious donation might not test positive in the first weeks or months after the donor becomes infected.

"For this reason, we still need to ask donors who have any possible increased risk that they do not give blood at this time. We accept that not everyone will share this view," the statement continues, concluding that the BTSB hoped to review "and, hopefully, amend" the policy with technical advances and changes in risk patterns.

Commenting on the BTSB statement, Farrell welcomes the fact that the BTSB was seeking a meeting. "Obviously, they area concerned enough that they want to meet with USI and with members of the gay community. Hopefully, together we can come to a consensus.

However, Farrell maintains that the threat of a boycott could still be real if no agreement is reached.

"It would still be live if we felt that no headway was being made after we meet with them," he says.