Men Who Have Sex with Men Can Safely Donate Blood. Really. Hey FDA!

[lobolance]

It's *not* sexual orientation or gender which determines if a person's blood is safe to share... it's behavior! Not to mention a little luck. A gay guy in a sexually monogamous relationship with another man is less likely to get AIDS (or any other STI) than a straight guy having random unprotected sex with women. It's time and time again to let science determine rules around donating blood, NOT social mores which change with the political mood. We have pretty darn good screenings on donated blood; it's one thing to discourage folks from looking for a 'free' AIDS test (via blood donation) and quite another to imply that the screening processes don't do their jobs, so we dare not let men who have sex with men (even once, since 1977!) donate blood.

FDA, please bring equality, sanity, and science to the blood donation process. There are a number of men who would happily donate blood, if you would let them. We need the blood!

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This rant brought to you in support of a regularly scheduled blogswarm! Please make a public statement today if you want the FDA to update its rules. The issue is under consideration *right now*.

Comments

[anthrocubsf.livejournal.com]

I think it's more the CDC and the Red Cross that are the issue than the Federal Drug Administration. Still, your rant is valid.

I last gave blood or sold plasma back in 1985. That's a long time ago.