FDGay
The FDA decided to keep its lifetime ban on Homosexual blood donors. Yes, blood groups think the ban is unnecessary, and yes, blood testing can detect HIV in less than a month after infection, and no, the FDA doesn't care.
The thing is, the nation needs blood (Google shows many "shortages" since 2000). The FDA says it would reverse its policy if it were shown that gay blood did not pose a “significant and preventable” risk to blood recipients. Thats one goal, but what about the "significant and preventable" risk posed to patients who need blood but may not be able to get it? Also, and just to point it out, its not like only gays get AIDS. If you want to really get a hold of this, ban blood from anyone who's ever had unprotected sex, or if you think like Dr. Sen. Bill Frist, been cried on by a gay guy.
Anyway, I think this article shows three things.
- Yeah, there's a bias against homosexuals in government. Not really news.
- The FDA has a reputation for favoring politics over science. This looks like another arrow in the quiver of that accusation.
- Even if one and two are false, it does show that once the government reacts/over-reacts to something, it stays reacted/over-reacted to. Which is really the most important lesson here.
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5% - 10% of HIV infections worldwide are the result of transfusion of tainted blood. This number is much lower in the US (and all developed nations)because of donor and blood screening techniques.
The two highest risk groups in regard to HIV infection are male homosexuals and intravenous drug users. The ony way this would be an unfair or biased policy is if the blood of intraveneous drug users is not being scrutinized in the same way as the blood of gay men.
Keeping the blood supply safe is much more important than making it grow.
To say "much lower" is a joke. According to the article, 1 in 2 million, thats not merely "much lower" than 5-10%. With 40,000 new HIV cases a year its just not really happening.
It is important in these issues to separate noise from fact. The science is there to screen blood, for real. Placing arbitrary limits on people out of nothing more than imaginary fear helps no one, and potentially hurts many. You're covered if you keep out those who were sexually active in the past month. There appears to be no need for the lifetime ban same with intravenous drug use. The screening process catches it in 10-21 days. Replace hysteria with reason.
If I need blood in an emergency, I'll take the 1 in 2 million chance every time.
I don't get "imaginary fear". One of the factors in this screening process that has lead to such a safe blood supply is eliminating high risk donors. Homosexuals and intravenous drug users are high risk groups for HIV infection.
If the chemical screening were 100% (which is always impossible) I would switch to your side immediately. Since it isn't it makes perfect sense to remove a very small amount of the donor pool that is most likely to taint the blood supply.
Comparing homosexuals to sexually active heterosexuals is a gross distortion of HIV reality. Homosexual sex accounts for over half of all new HIV infections in the US:(http://www.avert.org/america.htm)
And this from a group that makes up somewhere between .5% and 5% of the population. Call me whatever ugly name you'd like, but I'll take my blood from the "extremely low risk" tap instead of the "extremely high risk" tap thank you very much.
I respect your egalitarian instincts here, but the numbers just don't back up the "all blood is good blood" argument.
Hemopussy
Hi,
Im writing a college research paper on the law about banning homoexual men donating blood. I have looked at many, many sites. However, I can't seem to find the actual law? I need to site my resource and back up my story. Most people that have proofed my paper say there isn't a law...eventhough I know there is. So can you please help me??? I need to find the law writen down, like the article number or something. Thank-You
Many institutions limit access to their online information. Making this information available will be an asset to all.
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