U.S. to Take Another Look at Gay Blood Donation Ban

National Journal ^ | 7/26/11 | Maggie Fox

[Nachum]

A policy that bars gay men from donating blood for life is “suboptimal,” advisers to the Health and Human Services Department said on Tuesday, and needs another look. HHS asked a committee of experts on blood and tissue donations to reexamine the policy and see if there is a way to let at least some gays donate blood. (snip)Men who have sex with other men, including gay and bisexual men, have an HIV infection rate 60 times higher than that of the general population

[doc1019]

I remember that trick! The extra $5 bought a lot of instant noodles and catsup back in the day ... best spaghetti in the world when you are hungry. ;-)

[Linda Frances]

I’m a 10 gallon donor. I won’t give another pint if they let gays donate blood.

---

The left has no problem taking your money. Why would they stop there & take your blood. Remember social justice.

[GatorGirl]

Here’s a thought.

How many of them give blood anyway and lie about their status right now?

[max americana]

Just great. They won’t even label the blood as FUDGEPACKER and allow me the blood recipient to know if the blood which it came from was from an ass muncher.

[pankot]

Just the latest Govt. plan to reduce the population. AlGore would approve, I’m sure.

[lfrank]

Totally irresponsible, malfeasance at the highest levels- we are regulating smoking because of the harm that could potentially be caused by second hand smoke and here we will allow the donation of blood from a population that also practices known unsafe behavior with a known killer disease that is not immediately traceable.
How many more innocent people have to die? Who’s truly thinking about the typical Liberal psuedo constituency “the children?”
Truly evil, demonic, unconscionable, stupid...

Data from wikipedia:
- Since discovery 1981 to 2006, AIDS killed more than 25 million people
- 2.6 million people were newly infected in 2009
- Incubation AIDS at a variable rate affected by viral, host, and environmental factors; most will progress to AIDS within 10 years of HIV infection
- average survival time with anti-retroviral therapy was estimated to be more than 5 years as of 2005; Without anti-retroviral therapy, someone who has AIDS typically dies within a year.

[MayflowerMadam]

“...the only way to protect your self is through autologous donation.”

I did that before my hip replacement surgery. It works well if you have scheduled surgery and have the time, but in an emergency, what can you do?

[MayflowerMadam]

“...the only way to protect your self is through autologous donation.”

I did that before my hip replacement surgery. It works well if you have scheduled surgery and have the time, but in an emergency, what can you do?

[originalbuckeye]

Having lived in Britain in the mid-80’s, neither my husband nor I can donate NYMORE. We were both previous 1+ gallon donors for a long time. I used to work in one of the big hospitals on the east coast. I am O+ and would get a call when they were running low. Not now.

[originalbuckeye]

Having lived in Britain in the mid-80’s, neither my husband nor I can donate ANYMORE. We were both previous 1+ gallon donors for a long time. I used to work in one of the big hospitals on the east coast. I am O+ and would get a call when they were running low. Not now.

[tet68]

This is what politically correct insanity looks like,
and if you challenge it, you may at some time in the
future find yourself locked up as mentally ill.

[eclecticEel]

ave an HIV infection rate 60 times higher than that of the general population

It's not just HIV. There's plenty of other diseases as well.

[Mikey_1962]

The extra $5 bought a lot of instant noodles and catsup back in the day ...

Hot Damn! Real (fake) Spaghetti!

I was smart enough to rent a place over a Polish Bar in Hamtramck Michigan.

Growing up Irish Catholic I ever had Polish food.

Every night I'd sneak down to see if there were ant leftovers: always was.

I ate things I had never heard of: Duck's blood soup, Galumpkis, Pierogis, etc.

I gained 5 pounds in 2 months!

[vikingd00d]

Sounds like a good business opportunity for a private blood bank that would actually try to protect it’s supply.

[JimC214]

No, they will blame the CIA for creating the disease and Reagan for not curing it.

[thecodont]

The blood bank is supposed to test each and every pint donated for diseases, regardless of the donor’s interview responses about fitness to donate.

This is all about making some donor group “feel good” about itself at the expense of the health of other people.

Look at all the hoops the responsible, honest donors have to jump through. Anyone who has donated blood knows the drill. This renders all of their efforts meaningless.

[Mike Darancette]

You should store your own blood.

[doc1019]

Worked as a part time cab driver, you would be surprised at the amount of food left in cabs. Not to mention the drunks that offer to buy you something to eat if you will wait for them at a carry out restaurant. Didn’t gain much weight, however, between the instant noodles and the cab driving food train, I did all right. ;-)

[Truth29]

"I did that before my hip replacement surgery. It works well if you have scheduled surgery and have the time, but in an emergency, what can you do?"

Right, no real protection possible in an emergency unless you have enough time to bring your own donors or some other solution I haven't thought of.

[Conservative_Rob]

Here’s a thought.

How many of them give blood anyway and lie about their status right now? That should be classified felony - attempted murder with a mandatory 10 year sentence.

I have a rare blood type and get called to donate on the exact day I am able to redonate after my last donation, just like clockwork. I too will drop out if homosexuals tait our blood supply.