Tag Archives: gay blood donation
Possible end to blood ban on gay men in Israel
Shelly Yachimovich (Photo credit: Wikipedia)
In Israel next month, a Health Ministry advisory committee on transfusion medicine will consider whether to amend the clause that forbids gay men donating blood, following a similar change here in Britain.
If the clause is changed, any man who last had same-sex intercourse 10 or more years ago will be able to donate blood. Currently, anyone wishing to donate blood must fill out a comprehensive questionnaire, which also lists, in red, a list of disqualifications.
These include various diseases, including having or being exposed to “mad cow disease”, various nerve disorders, drug use, and a positive HIV test. The clause disqualifying gay men says: “Having had male homosexual relations since 1977″ – the year AIDS was first diagnosed.
Both Magen David Adom’s National Blood Bank (MDA) and the Health Ministry say the clause is similar to ones found in many countries worldwide.
Discussions over the subject go back at least to 2004, when it was suggested the clause on the blood donation form would be rewritten to disqualify anyone who had engaged in unprotected same-sex intercourse during the previous six months (six months being the window of time during which HIV antibodies begin showing up in someone infected with AIDS via sex). However, nothing arose from this discussion, and the clause remained.
Last week, Israel’s Labour chairwoman MK Shelly Yachimovich, alongside the party’s gay members, wrote to MDA’S CEO Eli Bin and to Health Ministry director general, Doctor Roni Gamzu, asking that the clause be revoked.
Ms Yachimovich wrote:
“The question about sex between men, without asking the donor whether he had had unprotected sex, is a serious deficiency.
“Under such circumstances [unprotected sex], there is a significant risk of AIDS infection even among heterosexuals, yet the questionnaire doesn’t address this and creates the mistaken and dangerous impression that AIDS is a ‘homosexual disease.’”
via Pink News
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Lifetime ban gay blood donation lifted today
Regulations banning the donation of blood by men who have ever had gay sex will be lifted from today.
The Department of Health announced the changes in September, implementing a one-year deferral period instead, so that men who have had gay sex in the last 12 months may still not donate blood.
The change comes into force in England, Wales and Scotland this week.
via Pink News
Gay blood donation ban expected to be lifted today!
The lifetime ban on blood donation by men who have had sex with men is expected to be lifted in the UK later today.
Since the 1980s AIDS crisis, gay men have been banned from donating blood because of the risk of HIV contamination.
Although blood is screened for HIV and other infections prior to being given to donors, there is a ‘window period’ since infection during which time it is not always possible to detect the presence of HIV.
In April, there were reports that the government was to propose lifting the ban on gay men donating blood who had not had sex for 10 years. The measures expected today are anticipated to have a window period, but a much shorter one.
Gay men are prevented from donating blood in a number of countries. In New Zealand, they can donate so long as they have not had gay sex for ten years. South Africa allows gay men to donate blood with a six month deferral. In Australia, Sweden and Japan it is one year.
In the UK, other at-risk groups including those who have been sexually active in high-risk countries are banned from donating blood for one year.
At a meeting of the UK government’s Advisory Committee on the Safety of Blood, Tissues and Organs (SABTO) in January, it was argued that
“the evidence does not support the continuation of the ban… the evidence supports a 12-month deferral period since last occurrence be introduced for men who have had oral or anal sex with another man, whether a condom or other protective was used or not”.
The Terrance Higgins Trust, the UK’s largest HIV and sexual health charity states:
“We believe any decision on the safety of the blood supply must be based on evidence and not on political lobbying or framing of it as purely an equalities issue.”
via Pink News
Update – Gay men still banned!
US to look again at gay blood donation ban
The US Department of Health and Human Services is to look again at the lifetime blood donation ban for men who have had gay sex.
The department said yesterday that the current policy is “sub-optimal” and announced it has instructed advisors to study whether the strict rules can be relaxed.
A statement said:
“If the data indicate that a change is possible while protecting the blood supply, we will consider a change to the policy.”
Currently any man who has had sex with another man since 1977 is permanently barred from donating blood. The policy began after fears that allowing gay and bisexual men to donate blood could raise the risk of HIV and hepatitis for blood transfusion patients.
Although all blood is tested before use, there is a small risk that new HIV infections may not be picked up. Gay rights groups and the Red Cross say that donor screening should be based on risky behaviour, rather than a blanket ban based of sexual orientation.
The HHS is to consider risk factors in current donors, how blood can be accidentally released without safety clearance, whether potential donors would comply with new rules and whether new screening criteria would assure blood safety.
The department added:
“It is anticipated that the described studies will yield data for reevaluation of the current deferral policy and potentially establish safety of blood collection from a subset of men who have sex with men or other currently deferred donors.”
Senator John Kerry has been pushing for a change to the policy.
He said:
“We’ve been working on this a long time in a serious way and I’m glad Secretary [Kathleen] Sebelius responded with concrete steps to finally remove this policy from the books
“HHS is doing their due diligence and we plan to stay focused on the end game – a safe blood supply and an end to this discriminatory ban.”
The UK has a similar ban, which is under review.
SaBTO, the advisory committee on the safety of blood, tissues, and organs, is expected to report its findings at some point this year.
via Pink News
Man says blood center rejected him because he appeared gay
Aaron Pace is admittedly and noticeably effeminate, but he says he’s not homosexual.
Still, his looks, character and behavior prompted a blood donation center to reject him when he tried to donate blood recently and he’s miffed, to say the least.
“I was humiliated and embarrassed,” said Pace, 22. of Gary. “It’s not right that homeless people can give blood but homosexuals can’t. And I’m not even a homosexual.”
Pace visited Bio-Blood Components Inc. in Gary, which pays for blood and plasma donations, up to $40 a visit. But during the interview screening process, Pace said he was told he could not be a blood donor there because he “appears to be a homosexual.”
No one at Bio-Blood returned calls seeking comment, but donation centers like it, and even the American Red Cross, are still citing a nearly 30-year-old federal policy to turn away gay men from donating.
The Food and Drug Administration policy, implemented in 1983, states that men who have had sex — even once — with another man (since 1977) are not allowed to donate blood.
The policy was sparked by concerns that HIV, the virus that causes AIDS, was tainting the blood supply. And, back then, screening tests to identify HIV-positive blood had not yet been developed.
Today, all donated blood is tested for HIV, as well as for hepatitis B and C, syphilis and other infectious diseases, before it can be released to hospitals. This is why gay activists, blood centers including the American Red Cross, and even some lawmakers now claim the lifetime ban is “medically and scientifically unwarranted.”
“It is unfair, outrageous and just plain stupid,” said Curt Ellis, former director of The Aliveness Project of Northwest Indiana, an agency that’s been educating the public about HIV-related issues for many years.
“The policy is based on the stigma associated with HIV that existed early on,” Ellis said. “It seems like some stigmas will just never die.”
The Indiana State Department of Health doesn’t have a policy regarding the collection of blood and its criteria. “Nor do we advise blood donation centers on their individual policies,” spokeswoman Amy Bukarica said.
But the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services last year voted again not to recommend a change to the FDA’s policy of a lifetime deferral for men who have sex with other men.
“The deferral of men who have had sex with other men is still in effect in Indiana and across the country — with all blood banks, not just the American Red Cross — because all blood banks must be in compliance with FDA regulations,” said Karen Kelley, spokeswoman for the American Red Cross.
“We recommended that the deferral criteria be modified and made comparable with criteria for other groups at increased risk for sexual transmission of transfusion-transmitted infections,” she added.
“While we are disappointed with the committee’s decision, our organization is obligated by law to follow the guidelines set forth by the FDA regarding donor eligibility,” Kelley said.
The American Red Cross, which supplies approximately 40 percent of the nation’s blood supply, determines a potential donor’s sexual history through standardized health and lifestyle questions in a private, confidential health history review, she said. This is similar to how other blood donation centers, such as Bio-Blood, screen potential donors.
Government to make announcement on gay blood donation
An announcement is expected in the “near future”
The government is to make an announcement on gay men donating blood “in the near future”, a health minister said today.
Health minister Anne Milton, responding to a Commons question, said the issue was currently under consideration.
Gay and bisexual men are barred from donating blood because of fears of HIV transmission. But critics say the ban is homophobic and based on stereotypes.
The issue was raised in the Commons by Tory MP Andrew Stephenson, who said that the National Blood Service was “crying out for new donors”.
Ms Milton responded:
“I understand that there has been a lot of concern that the rules are outdated, and we will make an announcement on the issue at some point in the near future.”
The government’s Advisory Committee on the Safety of Blood, Tissues and Organs began a review of the ban in 2009 and is expected to report its findings very shortly.
The coalition government published an LGBT policy document recently, although it has no mention of the issue.
However, prime minister David Cameron and deputy prime minister Nick Clegg are both on record stating their opposition to the ban.
Conservative gay group LGBTory announced last September that it would begin campaigning to end the ban.
Chairman Matthew Sephton said:
“The arbitrary blanket ban on men who have ever had sex with men giving blood is completely outdated and should go. What should replace it needs to be decided on the available medical evidence but the fact that it still exists as it does currently is nothing short of discrimination.“LGBTory has been campaigning vigorously on this issue and will continue to do so until the outright ban is overturned.”
via PinkNews.co.uk.
POTD: Spain says hi to the pope #gaypride
Tory gay group says it will campaign against blood donation ban
The Conservative Party’s gay group has launched a campaign to highlight the inequality of the UK’s ban on gay men donating blood.
LGBTory, which is affiliated with the Conservative Party, began a petition at Manchester Pride last weekend, gathering 100 signatures.
The current ban, in force since the 1980s, prevents any man who has ever had sex with another man, including safe sex, from donating blood.
Critics blame the ban on the assumption that gay men are at a high risk of carrying HIV. Gay rights campaigner Peter Tatchell says the ban on gay blood donors originates from homophobic myths that stereotype and demonise gay men.
LGBTory chairman Matthew Sephton believes the ban is unnecessary “discrimination“.
Mr Sephton said: “At a time when the blood service is crying out for new donors, the fact that there is still an arbitrary ban on a certain section of society from giving blood (ie gay men) is a disgrace and nothing more than discrimination.
“There is increasing evidence that this ban is not needed and so we would like to see an urgent review of the law in this area. Our petition is the first step in our campaign to have the blood ban reviewed and we will be campaigning vigorously to see a change in the law in this area.”
LGBTory is not part of the Conservative Party but work in tandem with Conservative Campaign Headquarters and LGBT Conservative MPs.
The group says it will contact the 307 Tory MPs in the next week to highlight LGBT issues and to encourage political support.
Members also hope to spur awareness of the issue by writing to prime minister David Cameron to act against the ban.
The blood ban is also opposed by Labour’s gay group LGBT Labour and DELGA, the Liberal Democrats’ gay group.
Currently, the government’s Advisory Committee on the Safety of Blood, Tissues and Organs is conducting a review of the ban. It is expected to report its findings in early 2011.
Sweden recently lifted the lifetime ban on gay men giving blood, while Belgium and parts of Spain do not discriminate against gay men who wish to donate blood.
Australia only bans donations from people who have had gay sex in the past year.
A recent study from the online Canadian Medical Association Journal advocates that the lifetime ban on gay men donating blood should be reconsidered and replaced with a deferral for those who have been in a stable, monogamous relationship for at least a year.
Gay Blood by *tiredbees
I’m now on #dapride!
After reading the .PDF download from [link] , I have been move to do something As the late Anita Roddick said, “Do something. Do anything. Just do something.” I’m still not shore what to do, but I have found something wrong.
In the UK you can not give blood as a gay man, with out lying about your sexuality, as on the Nation Blood Services web-site under “Who can give Blood” [link] on question twelve after the one about HIV/AIDS, it asks “Are you a man who has had oral or anal sex with another (even if you use a condom)? Now with out lying and I gather on declarations like this one, I would be breaking the law? Now I’m not a doctor so I not know anything about this but still how can it effect the blood. So when I has some surgery recently, I had to have some blood and now that I’m better I would like to give some of my rare blood group back to the Nation.
Gay Blood by *tiredbees on deviantART
~KarasuChan666 Apr 23, 2008
It’s unfortunate that people of alternate sexualities can’t give blood for whatever reason. They act like straights don’t get AIDS too. All they need to do is look at the percentages and they see that in the U.S. there are more straight people with AIDS than gays….
*tiredbees Apr 23, 2008
thank you for this comment, is it true that GAYs are not aloud to give blood in the U.S. too.
~KarasuChan666 Apr 25, 2008
Oh i know that it’s true. I am bisexual and i give blood all the time. I know that it is probably illegal and all but they don’t need to know that. I like donating blood, and knowing that i have saved a few lives. I wish that the gay/bi/trans community would fight for their rights more than they do but we can only do so much. Someday we’ll have equal rights.
~Rain-yatsu Aug 10, 2008
what!? there are more straight people with AIDS than gay people?! fuck you straight people who made this law and those who agree with this law!!
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We live our lives every day and its all we know how to do so why not make every day worth living
AinuPrincess Jul 21, 2009
And you know the sad thing? Even though in the US gays have AIDS the most, world wide, its heterosexuals that are most likely to be infected.
=The-Truth-In-The-Lie Dec 23, 2009
Hello. I hope you dont mind. I liked your picture so I linked it to my article. Gay Blood Ban – For or Against?
Here is a link [link] in case you want to read it.
If you don’t want your picture on it then tell me and I’ll take it down
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Join us! [link] for those who love the chilling allure of art (see what i did?)
join us! [link] and for those of us who enjoy rainbow power join this almighty glbt pride group!
~hieithefallen Dec 24, 2009
People seem to think that gay men contract and spread HIV/AIDS more than straight people do and even though it isn’t true, people believe it sadly
I’m not sure I understand why people think that HIV and AIDS is strictly a homosexual disease. It has nothing to do with sexuality but the person you sleep with, gay or straight.
I wish it wasn’t true, because it’s completely unfair and if a gay man’s blood saved my life, I wouldn’t care that he was gay. I would care that he was a good enough person to help someone else in need.
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Adommy <3Team Carlisle/Jasper. YeahHiei lover~~EternalChameleon Jan 24, 2010
You know, unless you are asked point blank if you are gay or straight, then you can easily fall under the “don’t ask, don’t tell” and donate blood all you want. They test the blood before it goes in anyway, I am sure just to make sure noone lied.
This is kinda a cool way to attract attention to the issue, though!
Reply
=Avalik 1 day ago
It’s MSM’s who aren’t allowed to donate blood, so it includes straight people, bisexuals and victims of sexual abuse and rape as well.
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90 people get the swine flu and everyone wants to wear a mask. A million people have AIDS and no one wants to wear a condom.
~Little-deamon-child 1 day ago
Thats really silly, i know what its like to be around prejuduced people but
not allowing gays to give blood because they “all have aids” is bloody stupid.
Its bad enough i had a b*&*@ fest at my great aunt cause she was under the
impression that being a gay man adopting a baby girl was a good thing because
they would be less likely to touch her.
These prejudices are wrong people!!!
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I’ll stop being a bitch
When you stop being an idiot !
99.9% of the Girls in America would pass out if Miley Cyrus disappeared. Post this to your siggy if you were the 0.01% Happily poking your new hostage with a spork
*icyhugs 1 day ago
It’s the same crap in Hong Kong. The Red Cross forbidden gays to donate blood while u hear their cry for blood donation everyday on the radio.
~ShoRena 1 day ago
it depends on the person i think. i hate how people always accuse gay people of having aids, when just as many straight people have it too. and nice pic by the way. it bring up a good question
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You only see one side of the moon.
~buggy6565 1 day ago
Its the same way here in the US. We had blood drives at my school and a friend of mine was turned away for being gay. It absolutely disgusts me that people can be that stereotypical!
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↨♥↨ With Love from Buggy-Sama ↨♥↨
~cayra 1 day ago
Same here in Germany. Stupid fuckers.
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dream…
~KidenStormsoarer 22 hours ago
same thing in the us, they claim that gays have a higher risk of std’s. i refuse to give blood because they ask that. it’s a shame, too, i’m type O positive, which is the most common type, therefore the most needed on average. i tried complaining to the red cross when they told me that, too, but it got swept under the rug.
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Just a big, lovable silver dragon.
Proud member of #dapride
Chinese gay man has blood donation lawsuit rejected
A Chinese gay man who tried to sue after being barred from donating blood has had his lawsuit rejected by a court.
Wang Zizheng hoped to sue the Beijing Red Cross centre for discrimination as China bars gay men and lesbians from donating blood.
According to AFP, the state-run newspaper Beijing Times reported that Mr Wang was informed of the decision yesterday by a court official, who did not give a reason for the rejection.
He decided to sue after visiting the centre in June to give blood, where he declared he was gay on a form.
He was told that under Chinese health regulations, he could not donate blood because of his sexual orientation.
China’s 1998 ban means anyone who states they are gay on a blood donation form is automatically disqualified from donating. However, there is no penalty for lying on the forms.
While many countries ban gay men from donating blood due to fears of HIV infection, lesbians have an extremely low risk of being infected.
