Write a Comment
5 Comments
My partner and I have been in a monogomous relationship for 5 years, and we both have tested HIV-negative. How can we infect someone with something we don't have? Yet, while this ban prohibits us and thousand of others like us from donating blood, do those in favor of it feel more comfortable taking blood from a hetero-donor who has multiple sex-without-condoms and drug-sharing partners? Bully for them!
Anthony Johnson, 15 YR survivor
This is unreal. Do they realize that gay men are not the only one's who get diseases? Do they not realize that HIV affects everyone? This disease is in the blood of men and women, black, white, young and old. This is very sad.
This is very disheartening. In a country that values helping others it would block people from helping others. this is not just a gay man disease anymore if it ever was, and to stop one from giving the blood needed in so many hospitals may as well be used against other high risk groups, today that would be any women, any man, any child. This is just backwards politics. they have the ability to test out bad donars and request no volunteering but there are plenty out there that can use the blood.
How ridiculous is this? The members of this Advisory Committee should pull their heads our of their 1989 asses and acknowledge the CDC statistics which tell us that about half the people living with HIV now are African American. So where's THAT ban?
Cardo
Gay men can donate blood as long as they don't admit to the blood bank that they have had sexual contact with another male since 1977. No need to admit it if you're sure you're HIV-free and really want to donate. The blood gets tested for infectious diseases first anyway before it's "donated" to someone else.
June 18, 2010 • San Diego