Gay men might be allowed to donate blood again soon.

**Rawr** · 07-07-12, 09:04 AM

It's all in the article, but for those of you that didn't know. Since the late 70's / early 80's gay males have not been allowed to donate blood due to the fact that it was the most at risk community for HIV. Although it's still the most at risk community, testing protocols for HIV, among the fact that there are many HIV-negative gay men that would be willing to donate could definitely improve the blood supply situation. I wonder how much longer until the law is changed.

As blood donations decline, U.S. ban on gay donors is examined - CNN.com

**SovietDooM** · 07-07-12, 10:26 AM

Wait, I thought they could screen out the blood? Or atleast test and decide if the blood is worth using.

All I know is I dontated once because they would tell me my blood type, they never sent any info from the tests that they did, and the assholes will never get another drop.

**ninja|oaklandr** · 07-07-12, 10:39 AM

I'm guessing they pre-screen before donating to cut down on cost.

I can't donate due to the fact I might have mad cow disease.

**deathgodusmc** · 07-07-12, 10:58 AM

Lucky us.

**Cojiro** · 07-07-12, 11:02 AM

but their blood will turn me gay and give me AIDS

**SgtRazor** · 07-07-12, 11:12 AM

I gave a few speeches about this when I was in college. I've found that the general public is not aware that gay men, or bi men, are not allowed to give blood. It does indeed date back to the rise of HIV in the 70s and 80s, when HIV was first discovered and labeled as the gay virus because of its prevalence in the gay community, but has persisted through today because of sheer bigotry or naivety. Every donor's blood is tested, every pint checked.

Plenty of healthy, willing donors (myself included) are excluded from donating. Meanwhile, prostitutes and drug users can continue to donate blood after a set time frame. Straight individuals who have unprotected sex with as many partners as they wish can donate blood anytime they want. Straight individuals who have had unprotected sex with a partner that has had unprotected sex with an HIV+ person can donate anytime they wish.

Current HIV testing protocols can detect HIV+ blood after 20 days of infection. There simply is no need for a carpet ban any longer. The only reason it is still around is lack of public awareness and an ignorant disposition about what being gay means.

While I would prefer to there being no hindrance to healthy gay men donating blood, I recognize that some people will want to cling to the 20 day "window period" between infection and detection as a mask of scientific justification for their bigotry. That that is simply too great a window to risk the cleanliness of the nation's blood supply for (in their eyes) political grandstanding. I counter that a 3 month probation period between last sexual contact and donor eligibility is far more reasonable and will indeed increase the nation's blood supply at no risk.

**SovietDooM** · 07-07-12, 11:14 AM

It's true, I had a rare steak, next thing I know old Betsy was looking fine in the field!

**deathgodusmc** · 07-07-12, 11:16 AM

Man with all those checks it makes me wonder how tainted blood has made it into the blood supply several times already. It makes me wonder how people have been infected with HIV after receiving transfusions. The only thing i can think of is those checks aren't as exact as some people imply.

**SgtRazor** · 07-07-12, 11:25 AM

Source?
I just did a brief search on the CDC website and there has only been one confirmed case of HIV+ blood infecting a healthy individual through transfusion since 2003 and that was in 2008. That was 4 years ago and testing protocols improve each year. After digging deeper, my 20 day window period is incorrect, the window period now is a mere 12 days.

**deathgodusmc** · 07-07-12, 11:27 AM

Originally Posted by SgtRazor

Source?
I just did a brief search on the CDC website and there has only been one confirmed case of HIV+ blood infecting a healthy individual through transfusion since 2003 and that was in 2008. That was 4 years ago and testing protocols improve each year. After digging deeper, my 20 day window period is incorrect, the window period now is a mere 12 days.

My long term memory.