Gay Blood Ban Could Be Significantly Reduced In The U.S.

[uppityperson]

This is good but why the hell is this medically and scientifically unwarranted thing still happening?

http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2014/11/13/gay-blood-ban-us_n_6155410.html

A federal advisory committee on Thursday recommended for the first time that the U.S. soften its ban on blood donations from gay men.

Under the new recommendations, made by the U.S. Health and Human Services' Advisory Committee on Blood and Tissue Safety and Availability, gay men would be able to donate blood after a year of abstinence. Under the current rules, men who have had sex with other men are essentially banned for life from donating blood.

As Bloomberg News pointed out, the recommendations don't have a direct bearing on policy but the committee is considered to be a trusted source for federal guidelines. The Food and Drug Administration, who oversees the policy, will consider the findings next month after hearing from other experts and decide whether or not to make the changes.

Gay Blood Drive, a national advocacy group dedicated to changing the policy, called it a "HUGE step in the right direction!" But Human Rights Campaign said that the proposed changes don't go far enough and that the ban should instead be completely abolished. "This recommendation -- although nominally better than the existing policy -- falls far short because it continues to stigmatize gay and bisexual men, preventing them from donating life-saving blood based solely on their sexual orientation,” HRC Government Affairs Director David Stacy said....

[nichomachus]

1. More homophobic bullshit

But there's no waiting period for heterosexuals. Why not? They get HIV too. A woman whose boyfriend is an IV drug user can donate. A guy who visits prostitues can donate. The wife of a guy who visits prostitutes can donate. Hell, prostitutes can donate. Only gay men have to be abstinent. Fuck them.

[CurtEastPoint]

2. All blood is tested

For many things, including HIV and.have been for a long time.

[uppityperson]

3. Yup, and yet there is still the ban.

[BeeBee]

4. Key phrase: "after a year of abstinence"

This is bullshit. It is NOT a "huge step in the right direction." It is nothing.

[MissB]

5. It's a possible step.

Hopefully one day their policy of not allowing gay men to donate will be a bad memory.