Santa Clara (Calif.) County officials oppose ban on blood donations from gay men [View All]

[Newsjock]

Source: Bay City News Service

The Santa Clara County Board of Supervisors today agreed to oppose a Food and Drug Administration ban on blood donations by gay men, but stopped short of banning blood drives on county property.

The FDA's rules ban men who have had sex with other men from donating blood. Earlier this year San Jose State University president Don Kassing announced a campus-wide prohibition of blood drives on the basis of a non-discrimination policy at the school. The announcement created a stir with critics saying the policy would inadvertently reduce the amount of blood collected in the community. County officials, while agreeing with the sentiment of the school's policy, believe that disallowing blood drives will have a larger, negative impact on the community.

"We would hurt ourselves by banning blood drives," said Peter Kutras, county executive. "To ban drives now hurts our region's blood supply."

County officials stated that blood banks believe there is no need to impose a lifetime ban on gay men, and instead limit the ban to one year.

Read more: http://www.mercurynews.com/breakingnews/ci_8368973