FDA Keeps Ban On Gay Men As Blood Donors

(AP)  Gay men remain banned for life from donating blood, the government said Wednesday, leaving in place — for now — a 1983 prohibition meant to prevent the spread of HIV through transfusions.

The Food and Drug Administration reiterated its longstanding policy on its Web site Wednesday, more than a year after the Red Cross and two other blood groups criticized the policy as "medically and scientifically unwarranted."

"I am disappointed, I must confess," said Dr. Celso Bianco, executive vice president of America's Blood Centers, whose members provide nearly half the nation's blood supply.

Before giving blood, all men are asked if they have had sex, even once, with another man since 1977. Those who say they have are permanently banned from donating. The FDA said those men are at increased risk of infection by HIV that can be transmitted to others by blood transfusion.

In March 2006, the Red Cross, the international blood association AABB and America's Blood Centers proposed replacing the lifetime ban with a one-year deferral following male-to-male sexual contact. New and improved tests, which can detect HIV-positive donors within just 10 to 21 days of infection, make the lifetime ban unnecessary, the blood groups told the FDA.

In a document posted Wednesday, the FDA said it would change its policy if given data that show doing so wouldn't pose a "significant and preventable" risk to blood recipients.

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Read the FDA's question and answer page concerning its policy.

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"It is a way of saying, 'Whatever was presented to us was not sufficient to make us change our minds,'" Bianco said.

The FDA said HIV tests currently in use are highly accurate, but still cannot detect the virus 100 percent of the time. The estimated HIV risk from a unit of blood is currently about one per 2 million in the United States, according to the agency.

Critics of the exclusionary policy said it bars potential healthy donors, despite the increasing need for donated blood, and discriminates against gays. The FDA recognized the policy defers many healthy donors but rejected the suggestion it's discriminatory.

Anyone who's used intravenous drugs or been paid for sex also is permanently barred from donating blood.

[rudy654-2009]

"The Center for Disease Control reports that 60% of all new HIV infections are from male homosexual ***. This fact alone justifies banning gay men from donating blood. It would be totally irresponsible to allow them to donate blood."

Well the flip side of that coin is that if 60% of all new HIV infections occur in homosexuals, then 40% (only 20% difference) of new HIV infections occur in heterosexuals. That should scare you. Are you sure you want someone else's blood with those odds? It seems to me that the FDA should ban all bloon donations if they're going to go by those kind of statistics.

[judeluke2000]

The Center for Disease Control reports that 60% of all new HIV infections are from male homosexual ***. This fact alone justifies banning gay men from donating blood. It would be totally irresponsible to allow them to donate blood.

[phoenix1218]

Please give me a break. This ban is archaic and based on the false premise that HIV/AIDS is a "gay" disease. No%u2014it is a **human** disease.
Posted by trumpetstuff

True, this IS a human disease, HOWEVER, when it was first discovered it was (mostly) gay men that had it because they had indiscriminate s3x with men in clubs and other venues. I cannot donate blood, but with me it is because I am almost always slightly anemic. I have the blood type that can donate to almost everyone, but they don't want mine. I was able to donate once, when I wasn't anemic. I have tried a few times since but never got past the pin prick they give you.

[dbstevens]

I think that many clinics where you can donate blood just ignore this.

We're supposed to be able to trust the FDA to be intelligent in their operations. This doesn't inspire trust...it's ignorant and ignores the truth about the scientific advances. It's not a surprise thought...the FDA isn't very efficient or intelligent.

[jimbo554]

Suits me. I don't like needles.

[jolsonbear]

That's perfectly fine with me. People who vote to limit my rights as an American don't deserve my blood anyway!!

[rudy654-2009]

This is funny, because it totally overlooks the fact that heterosexuals are also at risk, especially if they're promiscuous. Go ask the people in Africa. How many women discovered that they had AIDS because their husbands had been unfaithful? At any rate, it merely reminds us of how very unsafe the blood supply really is, no matter who it comes from. If the test can't be certain for homosexual donors, then it definitely can't be certain for heterosexual donors. So who's kidding who here? There was also the worry that anyone who had been to Europe and had eaten beef could spread mad cow disease, and so there was a prohibition for that too. If someone isn't honest their activity, what are they going to do? This really highlights the risks regarding the whole blood supply. This discrimination is really a red light for the whole system.

[ttenchantr]

I used to give blood a lot back in the 80's and i never knew that gay men couldn't donate. I sure don't remember anybody asking.

[medgirl3]

Although the populations most at risk for HIV are shifting, it was initially very prominent in the homosexual male population. This ban is not an attack on monogomous homosexual relationships, or anything of the sort. It does, however, address the old addage we learned in middle school health "when you sleep with someone, you're sleeping with everyone they've slept with." Even if you've only been with one partner for years, maybe before then, they were with others, and became infected, and haven't manifested symptoms. (The early symptoms of an HIV infection resembles the flu, and can be easily overlooked, and it then remains dormant for possibly years).
Until they have a more definite way of detecting. Unfortunately this ban is probably going to stick. To whomever said it was saying the current self-test methods are no good (i'm too lazy to scroll up, sorry), When using those, they aren't 100% accurate, especially in an early infection.

As far as the family member being allowed to donate, I am very sorry for your friend. Maybe they could come up with a standard for that situation only, where they can sign a waiver saying they are aware of the risks.

[michellem99-2009]

I realise this is a men's issue. Can't loved ones give blood to a family member since it matches right there at hospital?
The FDA, they put meds on the market that make others have health issue that they did not have before. Forgive me gentle reader,I know as a fact loved suffers cos of this meds mess.
So to deny the life saving blood to a person just cos the man is momosexual and don't have aids. Do they test the blood that drug users gives. There are people should not give blood as they are carriers of this/that. The FDA panders to somebody. They need to clean house. Is the blood as safe with with special isterests persons calling the shots. They don't every thing.