The South African National Blood Service (SANBS), will no longer base donors' risk of HIV infection on race, after Health Minister Manto Tshabalala-Msimang said the SANBS policy "smacks of racism", London's Guardian newspaper reported.
In a system used by the SANBS, regular donors who were white or Indian were deemed Category 1 - or at lowest risk of HIV or other diseases - while black donors were classified as either Category 3 or Category 4 because HIV and hepatitis were thought to be "more widespread" among blacks.
However, it was unclear how the agency classified the blood, as donors were not asked to give their race when they donated blood.
Robert Crookes, SANBS's medical director, maintained the system was the "most logical, medical, ethical and legally defensible" available.
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