Send Us Hatemail ! mailbag@conservativecave.com
0 Members and 1 Guest are viewing this topic.
The Straight Story Donating Member (1000+ posts) Journal Click to send private message to this author Click to view this author's profile Click to add this author to your buddy list Click to add this author to your Ignore list Sat Dec-05-09 05:11 PMOriginal messageTime to end ban on gay men giving blood? Time to end ban on gay men giving blood?The National AIDS Trust has used World AIDS day as an opportunity to increase pressure on the National Blood Transfusion service (NBTS) to change its policy on stopping gay men from donating blood.This issue recently came to prominence at the University of Lincoln in November when the university’s Lesbian Gay Bisexual and Transgender society (LBGT) held a demonstration outside the the Engine Shed while a blood donation session took place.At the time the LGBT organised a petition which received hundreds of signatures in support and The Linc also held a poll which found that 98% of students asked supported the LGBT’s cause. Despite this, and many similar protests that have taken place around the country, the ban which has been in place since the 1980’s still remains.Although there is widespread support for rescinding the ban on gay men giving blood, not everyone would advocate a change to the screening policy. John McCavish a Senior Lecturer in Social Work at the university explained that while he was full of admiration for LGBT society for highlighting an important issue and looking to defend gay men against discrimination, he argued that this issue was not about discrimination but rather managing risk. McCavish goes on to say that the policy of the National Blood Transfusion Service was simply looking to supply safe blood and not stigmatise gay men.http://thelinc.co.uk/2009/12/time-to-end-ban-on-gay-men...
harkadog Donating Member (367 posts) Click to send private message to this author Click to view this author's profile Click to add this author to your buddy list Click to add this author to your Ignore list Sat Dec-05-09 05:24 PMResponse to Original message1. Long past time The blood is 100% tested for various blood borne diseases no matter who donates it. The ban is irrational.
PeaceNikki Donating Member (1000+ posts) Journal Click to send private message to this author Click to view this author's profile Click to add this author to your buddy list Click to add this author to your Ignore list Sat Dec-05-09 05:27 PMOriginal messageAbsolutely. The American Red Cross has been trying to get the ban lifted.
struggle4progress Donating Member (1000+ posts) Journal Click to send private message to this author Click to view this author's profile Click to add this author to your buddy list Click to add this author to your Ignore list Sat Dec-05-09 06:46 PMResponse to Original message6. The demographics of infection vary country to country. In the US, here is the data Edited on Sat Dec-05-09 06:47 PM by struggle4progressfor males as of the end of 2007:Estimated adult and adolescent males living with AIDS by race/ethnicity and exposure category, all years to the end of 2007 (50 states and D.C.)http://www.avert.org/usa-race-age.htmThe table shows that 99% of all known male infections in the US are believed to have originated from Male-to-male sexual contact (61%), Injection drug use (18%), some combination of Male-to-male sexual contact and injection drug use (8%), and High-risk heterosexual contact (11%)The same site contains the data for Estimated adult and adolescent females living with AIDS by race/ethnicity and exposure category, all years to the end of 2007 (50 states and D.C.)This second table shows that 98% of all known female infections in the US are believed to have originated from Injection drug use (32%) and High-risk heterosexual contact (66%)Blood Eligibility Guidelineshttp://www.redcross.org/en/eligibility... Nearly all people infected with HIV through blood transfusions received those transfusions before 1985, the year HIV testing began for all donated blood ... U.S. blood donations have been screened for antibodies to HIV-1 since March 1985 and HIV-2 since June 1992 ... An estimated 1 in 450,000 to 1 in 660,000 donations per year are infectious for HIV but are not detected by current antibody screening tests. In August 1995, the FDA recommended that all donated blood and plasma also be screened for HIV-1 p24 antigen ... http://aids.about.com/cs/hivtesting/f/bloodsupply.htm
Bluebear Donating Member (1000+ posts) Journal Click to send private message to this author Click to view this author's profile Click to add this author to your buddy list Click to add this author to your Ignore list Sat Dec-05-09 07:08 PMResponse to Reply #67. Gee, you could have just said "no"
The National AIDS Trust has used World AIDS day as an opportunity to increase pressure on the National Blood Transfusion service (NBTS) to change its policy on stopping gay men from donating blood.
People who get tattoos can't give blood for some time (not 100% sure of the exact time pd). They aren't taking to the streets.
The Straight Story Donating Member (1000+ posts)Sat Dec-05-09 05:11 PMTime to end ban on gay men giving blood?
If I ever need a transfusion, I want blood from the Mother Superior of a convent, and she better not have tattoos. You guys can take blood from tattooed queer body piercers if you like.
