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Article Source: pinknews.co.ukLifting America's ban on gay and bisexual men donating blood could provide an extra 219,000 pints a year, a report says.
According to the Williams Institute for Sexual Orientation Law and Public Policy at the UCLA School of Law, this increase would mean a of 1.4 per cent rise in the nation's blood supply.
The report also estimates that organ donations could increase by 2.9 per cent annually, meaning around 900 additional transplants could take place each year.
Study co-author Naomi Goldberg said: “The impact of lifting the ban on these donors will have an even great impact on our health care system.
“Each pint of donated blood can be divided into three blood products, potentially helping up to three different patients.”
The Food and Drug Administration (FDA) is expected to hold hearings on the current ban on June 10th and 11th.
Cool - hopefully one less barrier!
#1 - Thu Jun 3, 2010 11:17 AM EDTWow. I didn't know there was a ban like that, how ridonculous. I guess straight people have special blood that automatically rejects HIV.
I only knew that people who lived in the UK during certain periods can't donate blood. The Red Cross doesn't want my 0+ because I might be infected with Mad Cow Disease!
What the heck difference does it make as long as it is not contaminated and tested and put into supply channels....
All contaminated blood and plasma should be destroy to prevent future contamination.
Same goes for organ donations...
That is amazing that they still have such a ban. Don't they test the blood anyway? I mean I know they are just screening out high risk donors, but isn't gay/straight risk irrelevant anymore?
#2 - Thu Jun 3, 2010 11:36 AM EDTIt is about time! This is long overdue. The fact that we have kept such an archaic rule for so long is wrong. The ban right now after we have so much more knowledge is more about anti-gay hysteria instead of actual science. The local self righteous azzhats at the local christian station are already stirring up their listeners. Evidenly gay/bisexual have extra dangerous blood and we should all be very afraid......
#3 - Thu Jun 3, 2010 12:07 PM EDTLong long overdue.
There is not one logical reason to ban anyone with good blood. Medical reasoning should be the only reason that someone should not be allowed to give blood, and homosexuality is not a disease!
#4 - Thu Jun 3, 2010 2:24 PM EDTand homosexuality is not a disease!
Try telling them that LOL - I suppose it goes back to the 80's and the rank ignorance of the causes and spread of HIV/Aids (after the first wave in the gay community) - we know now that there are more infections in the heterosexual community (at least i know about Europe - not sure about the US but I would guess it is the same) and hopefully this is about to be recognised some way - not totally cause they are saying if you are gay you can't have had sex for a year - IMO the rules should be the same across the board.
not totally cause they are saying if you are gay you can't have had sex for a year - IMO the rules should be the same across the board.
Eh, because HIV expires after a year? WTF, they can't do the science? I've worked with other US citizens in my same situation of being refused as donors because of the time period we lived in the UK, but these other people were vegetarians. Seriously. Again with the do the science.
From what I understand, there is no way to screen for CJD yet screening for HIV from ALL donors is pretty standard these days, right? Right?!
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