Ban on Gay Blood?

For two decades, the Food and Drug Administration has prohibited gay and bisexual men from giving blood as a precaution against AIDS. But three major blood collection agencies, including the American Red Cross, argue the practice is no longer warranted. The FDA disagrees. Joel Ginsberg, head of the Gay and Lesbian Medical Association, says the ban unfairly discriminates.

The agency acknowledged that tests to detect HIV in blood samples have improved dramatically since the policy was put in place in 1985, but said there is still a risk, however small, that a tainted donation might slip through. However, it did not take the next logical step, that of banning donations from all persons but virgins.

The decision was particularly disappointing because the American Red Cross and the America’s Blood Centers, which together process about 95 percent of all blood donated in the US, had urged that the lifetime ban on [homosexual blood] be scaled back to what it is for heterosexuals, a monogamous sexual relationship for 12 months prior to donation.

They testified before the FDA that the ban “is medically and scientifically unwarranted…it does not appear rational to broadly differentiate sexual transmission via male-to-male sexual activity from that of heterosexual activity on scientific grounds.”

The State Of . . . prejudice. Yes it is. If they really wanted blood least likely to be infectious they would also not allow blood from African-American women in the South. They have been the group with the rising number of HIV infection rates over the last few years. Since it’s not scientifically warranted, the only reason left for the continued ban is prejudice. Currently, heterosexuals who exhibit high risk behavior can still donate blood while homosexual men who exhibit low risk behavior cannot. even if you don’t believe that Gay men should donate blood, don’t you think the standard should be equalized?