No Gay Blood Donors, FDA Insists

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Gale Haut

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I searched and searched, and didn't find this discussed here. (If I'm mistaken a mod can delete it, no resentment.) Though it doesn't affect our entire community I'd like to know what everyone thinks about it.

The FDA continues to insist that gay blood donors have a higher risk of spreading HIV despite the Red Cross's referral that the policy is antiquated, lacks scientific backing, and regularly bars perfectly healthy individuals from donating.

Rutger students protest.

The FDA does not allow men who have sex with other men (MSM) to donate blood because of the high risk of the donor having HIV or AIDS, according to its website.

Since the regulation was put into effect during the 1980s, Clarke said the rule is outdated because we no longer live in a world uncertain about HIV or AIDS.

"We have made so many advances and we know it is not just gay men that can contract HIV/AIDS. It is anyone who partakes in high risk behavior," she said. "So having the ban just on gay men is discriminating against their sexual orientation."

Do you think that this policy is really concerned with public health or do you feel that it is being held in place by prejudice?

ETA: The UK has the same policy. Check out the rationale.
ETA2: So does Australia. Rationale.
 
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veinglory

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Also no woman who ever slept with a man who ever slept with a man. Way out of sync with the real risk factors.
 

PrincessofPersia

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It's an old policy based on prejudices. The prejudices still exist, unfortunately.
 

Wayne K

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They get the blood for free and then charge exorbitant amounts of money for it, so shouldn't they have to test it no matter who they get it from?

http://www.avert.org/blood-safety-hiv.htm

The world health Organization has recommended it

The World Health Organisation (WHO) outlines a number of recommendations which countries should follow to maintain a safe and constant blood supply. These steps prevent transfusion-transmissible infections (TTI), which include HIV-1, HIV-2, hepatitis B, hepatitis C and, passing from a blood donor to the recipient of a blood transfusion.According to the recommendations countries need:
  • A nationally coordinated blood transfusion service
  • Voluntary unpaid donors
  • To test all donated blood
  • To use blood efficiently and appropriately
  • To ensure a safe transfusion practice
  • To have a quality systems check throughout the blood transfusion process.
So, in effect, they're blaming gay people for something that is their fault, but greed trumps prejudice here I'm afraid.

I'm not saying its not a factor, I'm saying that they're using prejudice as the reason to skirt the truth, and the truth is that it costs money to test the supply, and they'd rather watch you die than spend the money
 
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Gale Haut

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From what I understand, they do test it no matter what in the US, but the FDA has said that until testing is 100% fail-proof (which nothing is) they won't change the policy since statistics still show that many STDs are more susceptible through anal sex. And their numbers also show that STDs remain more prevalent in the gay community. Another argument that's stated in one of the rationales I linked to, there is a window after contraction in which no kind of testing can detect the presence of HIV. But that window isn't eternal. It still doesn't make sense to permanently ban potential donors who have engaged in MSM since 1977 even if they used a condom. Nor to not make exceptions for monogamous partnerships.

I'm a little annoyed, because I used to regularly donate before I came out and now I feel like a bad person when I try to. And I'd also like to have the option to donate plasma for cash as an able bodied person. So yeah. Annoyed, I am. Very much.
 

Ink-Pen-Paper

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Current testing techniques are very good for detecting virons of those listed diseases. I survived, so far, infection of HepB and HepC. I also have a disease which is extremely rare and with unknown means of transmission, it might possibly be blood borne too. These diseases probably came with massive blood transfusions, prior to tests being available. Now, those would have been detected and the blood destroyed, except for the orphan disease.

I have been in a quandary about the donation restrictions. Having been clear of HCV and then relapsing at least once, that leaves the question of the detection level of the testing. Is it possible to be 100 percent sure the blood is without virons? No. Is it possible to be close to 100 percent sure? Yes. How soon to infection can one be tested completely, that is closing in to immediate, but it is not there yet. IIRC it is less than a week.

As one who daily lives with the results of contaminated blood, HCV and HBV are blood borne for the most part, I do wonder about the restrictions. To me I think time restrictions are more important than total bans. Which is the position of the Red Cross and organizations of science.

Ignorance and prejudice create fear and are the positions of politics. Those change with political change and strength. At some point in the future reason will be brought in to the process and the change to policy will occur.

My doctors tell me all frequently that I am one of the luckiest people alive. Why, because I am still alive and thousands of people infected at the time I was are dead. Also, I did not receive a dose of HIV at the same time as the other diseases.
 

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Canada has the same policy. http://www.xtra.ca/public/Toronto/Gay_blood_donor_advocates_await_Kyle_Freeman_decision-8852.aspx

I no longer donate blood (I'm straight), and when they call to ask for it (they want my O-), I tell them that if they have so much blood that they can afford to unfairly discriminate against a huge group of potential donors, they obviously don't need mine too bad. I can see some restrictions making sense, but any man who's had sex with a man since 1977? Totally discriminatory.
 

PinkAmy

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Canada has the same policy. http://www.xtra.ca/public/Toronto/Gay_blood_donor_advocates_await_Kyle_Freeman_decision-8852.aspx

I no longer donate blood (I'm straight), and when they call to ask for it (they want my O-), I tell them that if they have so much blood that they can afford to unfairly discriminate against a huge group of potential donors, they obviously don't need mine too bad. I can see some restrictions making sense, but any man who's had sex with a man since 1977? Totally discriminatory.
You're my hero.
 

Marlys

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I agree that the policy against gay donors is discriminatory and should be lifted.

Me, I can't donate because of the 'mad cow' restriction:
From January 1, 1980, through December 31, 1996, you spent (visited or lived) a cumulative time of 3 months or more, in the United Kingdom (UK)
despite, as the Red Cross also says,
There is no evidence that CJD can be transmitted from donors to patients through blood transfusions.
Yeah, okay. You know, if I were bleeding to death, I might just risk that something that has never been known to happen would continue not to happen, if I could get the blood that would save my life.
 

Ink-Pen-Paper

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In a similar vein (intended pun) are organ transplants. If a person is in End Stage Liver Failure (ESLF) because of HCV and the only liver available that is compatible comes from an HCV donor, that liver can be transplanted in to the HCV patient. There are many thoughts about the practice, the primary is the person receiving the liver has more years available while the research to eliminate HCV progresses. The bad is the research takes time and may result in treatment for a strain of the virus the patient does not have. But, it is time for one to live, albeit with more disease, and the organ is not wasted.



I agree that the policy against gay donors is discriminatory and should be lifted.

Me, I can't donate because of the 'mad cow' restriction:
despite, as the Red Cross also says, Yeah, okay. You know, if I were bleeding to death, I might just risk that something that has never been known to happen would continue not to happen, if I could get the blood that would save my life.
 

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It's the same deal in Finland, too. There's been some debate, I actually remember friends discussing this on Facebook a few months ago.

I remember being a teenager, just turned 18, and going to donate blood for the first time. I had waited to be 18 to be able to go, because that's the age limit here. That's how adamant I was on doing it.

The questions on the form blew me away. Even then, and this happened roughly 12 years ago, I went "No way...this can't be true...". The question about if I had had sex with a man who had had sex with a man was like a kick to the gut, really. It was so stupid that I remember snorting and my friend went "What?" and I just shook my head in disbelief.

So I was a recently out lesbian and never had had sex with a man, yet still I was asked that and it made me angry for the whole community, not just me.

After donating blood that one time, I found out that my blood type is B-. It's relatively rare and I should donate but I don't. Just...no. If half of my friends couldn't do it, then neither will I. I went another time with the same straight friend and then I stopped going.

Recently I was put on a medication that prevents my from donating anyways, so I can always say that's my reason for those who ask.
 

shaldna

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I used to work for the UK Blood Service, and there were alot of rule about gay blood donation which seemed stupid to me, and others, at the time.

For instance, you cannot give blood if you are a gay man. You cannot give blood if you are a woman who has ever had sex with a man who may have had sex with another man at any point.

Seriously. It jsut seemed so ridiculous to me because sensible people get themselves tested at regular intervals for things like HIV, and the blood service screens you anyway. Even if it was a concern, you could go to your doctor and get a blood test any time you liked.

I think that anyone who tests clear for HIV and AIDS etc should be allowed to donate, regardless of their sexuality.

And as a point of fact, my gay friends are much more careful during sex than most of my straight friends.
 

Gale Haut

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I liked the way the Rutgers students protested. It was a "give blood for those who can't" blood drive. So the amount of blood raised was a gauge of community support.

Personally, if someone decided not to give blood because I couldn't, that would make me feel worse about the whole thing.


ETA: Speaking of Canada, the conclusion of the trial: Gay Man Loses Blood Donation Negligence Suit
 
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shaldna

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They get the blood for free and then charge exorbitant amounts of money for it, so shouldn't they have to test it no matter who they get it from?

Here all blood is screened for STD's, HIV, AIDS and iron deficiencies etc upon donation, regardless of what you put on the forms.

It's not just gay people who suffer prejudice with regards to blood donation, I have actually been on the receiving end of lectures from donors who wanted to be sure that their blood wasn't going to be donated to black people.
 

PinkAmy

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Dumb question, but does the gay ban apply to lesbians or just male gays?
I can't donate anyway because I had cancer. I think after my 10 year mark I may be allowed. I was never able to donate before because I didn't weigh enough.
 

Mara

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Dumb question, but does the gay ban apply to lesbians or just male gays?
I can't donate anyway because I had cancer. I think after my 10 year mark I may be allowed. I was never able to donate before because I didn't weigh enough.

As far as I've heard, just gay males, at least in the United States.
 

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I don't have enough iron in my blood to donate. The person who tested my blood put it this way.

I have enough iron in my blood for myself but not enough to share. And for the ladies who have to answer, Have you slept with a man who slept with another man? What if you don't know? I was not asked this question but I would just answer no. Because I never asked my sexual partners who they have slept with I've only asked them if they were disease free.
 

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I think people's fears matter here. Honestly, if I had my way, I'd never receive blood from anyone who isn't a virgin.

Like it or not, HIV tests are not 100% reliable. I'm glad people want to donate blood, but damned if I want it from anyone with any risk factor. As it is, every risk factor they can eliminate, however slight, eases my fears.
 

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I think people's fears matter here. Honestly, if I had my way, I'd never receive blood from anyone who isn't a virgin.

Like it or not, HIV tests are not 100% reliable. I'm glad people want to donate blood, but damned if I want it from anyone with any risk factor. As it is, every risk factor they can eliminate, however slight, eases my fears.
Or any communicable diseases, I'm assuming. Because of that lock we gay men have on HIV. :Shrug:
 

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I wasn't allowed to donate blood in the US because I lived in England during the 1980s, which means, apparently, that I'm at risk from carrying Mad Cow disease. Yes, eating all those mystery meat pies will do it.

*rolls eyes*



I think people's fears matter here. Honestly, if I had my way, I'd never receive blood from anyone who isn't a virgin.

Like it or not, HIV tests are not 100% reliable. I'm glad people want to donate blood, but damned if I want it from anyone with any risk factor. As it is, every risk factor they can eliminate, however slight, eases my fears.

I assume, if you're bleeding out all over A&E you'll stick with your absurd principles?
 
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I'm wondering, what if a virgin had injected drugs?

Or had anal sex with a man who had ever had sex with a man?

Or do we use 'virgin' as an umbrella term for front and back bottom?

For the record, I have never donated blood, nor would I. I have never had a blood transfusion, nor would I. (Yes, really. I have a living will and carry paperwork to that effect everywhere. There are blood substitutes and expanders available and I know a number of people who have had open heart surgery without blood transfusions).

But.

If you're going to have rules, at least make sure they make sense.
 
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Also, I believe in this country you can't donate if you've ever received.

I mean bloodwise, not analwise, although that would pose the question: what if you're a woman who's taken it up the bum?
 

MumblingSage

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I liked the way the Rutgers students protested. It was a "give blood for those who can't" blood drive. So the amount of blood raised was a gauge of community support.

Personally, if someone decided not to give blood because I couldn't, that would make me feel worse about the whole thing.


ETA: Speaking of Canada, the conclusion of the trial: Gay Man Loses Blood Donation Negligence Suit

Sounds like a good idea to me. If I weighed enough (perhaps I do after Christmas) I'd go and do the same. It's a stupid, old-fashioned, and prejudicial policy, but the people who need the blood aren't the ones responsible for it.

I think people's fears matter here. Honestly, if I had my way, I'd never receive blood from anyone who isn't a virgin.

Like it or not, HIV tests are not 100% reliable. I'm glad people want to donate blood, but damned if I want it from anyone with any risk factor. As it is, every risk factor they can eliminate, however slight, eases my fears.
I feel the same way as the bolded part, but for whatever reason there isn't as much virgin blood available as we all would like. The risk factor of bleeding to death seems much more tangiable than maybe, possibly, somehow contracting HIV from a transfusion.
 

Wayne K

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I've been looking for the article and cant find it, but a few years ago a lab and a hospital had waaaaay different records for donated blood testing. The hospital finally admitted that they did random testing

Fucked if I can find it though
 
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