Gay Blood Donor Ban Under Fire

dynamic, gay vegas, Health - By admin on Friday, May 29, 2009 - 08:36

Blood banks and hospitals are always in need of blood, and they are eager to solicit donations from their communities.

But one segment of the population has been barred from giving blood for the last quarter-century. Gay men, and any man who has had sex with a man–even once–since 1977, have been excluded from blood donation
since 1985.

Put in place during the height of fear about America’s growing AIDS crisis, the ban was predicated on the supposition that gay men are more likely than any other segment of the population to carry HIV, the virus that causes AIDS.

Rep. Mike Quigley (D-Chicago) is part of a growing effort to change that. He voiced his support for lifting the ban as the Advisory Committee on Blood Safety and Availability recently reexamined the policy. The committee’s ultimate recommendation, issued June 11, was that the ban on gay donations stay in place.

The tide is increasingly shifting to the point of view, shared by Quigley and others, that the ban is outdated and unfairly discriminates against a potentially large pool of blood donors.

The American Red Cross and America’s Blood Centers teamed up to speak out against the ban, calling it “medically and scientifically unwarranted.” They cite advanced blood screening procedures in support of their position and suggest that policies be amended so that they are more in line with criteria for other potential HIV exposure risks.

Those who support upholding the ban claim that the safety of America’s blood supply is critical.

Pending the FDA’s approval, the ban will remain in place for now.