Elizabeth Warren Demands An End To The FDA’s Ban On Gay Blood Donors

[Purveyor]

Sen. Elizabeth Warren (D-MA) and a group of 86 other signatories from Congress sent a letter on Thursday to call for an end to the Food and Drug Administration (FDA)’s ban on blood donors who are “men who have had sex with other men (MSM), at any time since 1977,” a policy the FDA has had in place since the height of the HIV/AIDS crisis in 1992.

“Since the beginning of the HIV/AIDS epidemic more than 30 years ago, the scientific community’s understanding of the virus has changed dramatically. We have seen vast advances in blood screening technology, blood donation policy changes in other countries allowing MSM to donate, and opposition from our nation’s blood banks who have called the current ban ‘medically and scientifically unwarranted,’” the letter said. “Our current policies turn away healthy, willing donors even when we face serious blood shortages. Further, the existing lifetime ban continues to perpetuate inaccurate stereotypes about gay and bisexual men, and fosters an atmosphere that promotes discrimination and discourages individuals from from seeking HIV testing and treatment services.”

Other signatories included Sen. Tammy Baldwin (D-WI), Rep. Mark Takano (D-CA), Rep. David Cicilline (D-RI), Rep. Sean Patrick Maloney (D-NY) and Rep. Mark Pocan (D-WI), all openly gay or lesbian members of Congress.

The American Medical Association, widely regarded as the most mainstream medical organization in the country, recently joined the chorus of those who oppose the FDA’s ban on gay and bisexual blood donors.

In a statement on her website, Warren said, “For me, this has been a basic issue of fairness and of science – blood donation policies should be grounded in science, not ugly and inaccurate stereotypes. When a Massachusetts man told me he wanted to donate blood during the bombings but couldn’t because of his sexual orientation, I dug deeper into this discriminatory ban and I didn’t like what I found. Current policies are contrary to science.”

MORE...

http://www.rawstory.com/rs/2013/08/02/elizabeth-warren-demands-for-an-end-to-the-fdas-ban-on-gay-blood-donors/

[codemoguy]

1. "and discourages individuals from from seeking HIV testing and treatment services"

While I agree they should remove the restriction, I find it hard to believe a rational person would choose not to get tested because of it...

[liberal_at_heart]

2. She said it fosters the environment that discourages individuals from seeking HIV testing and

treatment services and this is true. It is the environnment of stereotyping, prejudice, and homophobia that leads to people not getting tested or seeking treatment. There are entire communities that don't use condoms and because of their prejudice against homosexuals refuse to think they could ever be at risk of a homosexual's disease.

[codemoguy]

3. I think yours is a more complete reading...

thank you

To be honest I can't imagine passing up a test like that for those reasons, but I'm sure some people would...

[MineralMan]

4. Good for you, Elizabeth!

That question on the donation questionaire: "Have you ever had sex with another man, even once?" always made me want to ask, "Well, does that bunch of 13-year-olds boys sitting in a circle count?

They can test for HIV in donated blood. In fact, they do that for every donation, anyhow. It's a stupid rule.