FDA's ban on gay men donating blood?

Gay men are deferred to give blood. That's the rule and we can't do anything about that. Please understand that the FDA is only concern about the safety of three people who will be receiving your blood.

However, it does not end there. If you can't donate blood, why not be a blood bank volunteer? The American Red Cross and other blood banks are regularly looking for volunteers who can help them organize a blood drive. They need someone who can recruit potential donors.

If you're good with recruitment, you are needed. You can save more than ten lives if you'll convince twenty people to donate blood.

Stop thinking how unfair this world is. Life can be unfair but it doesn't mean you can't find more ways to give back. Start it by searching for a blood bank near you.

I never knew that gay men could not donate blood, what about lesbians? Can they donate blood?

Now I have another reason to not donated blood besides my fear of needles.

I think this is completely unfair for those that don't mind it, blood is always needed and if the blood is clean and can be used why turn it away because of sexual orientation? I think this ban is total garbage.

The FDA, particularly the Center for Biologics Evaluation and Research (CBER), has recently voted to maintain an indefinite deferral for any male-sex-male (MSM) that has occurred, even once, since 1977. However, the American Red Cross and America's Blood Centers have recommended decreasing the deferral period to one year from last contact. A similar change was recently enacted in the United Kingdom.

Unfortunately, many do not understand the rationale behind the deferral guidelines. CDC data has consistently identified MSM as a significant risk factor for transfusion-transmissible diseases, especially Hepatitis B and HIV. As with other high risk activity, the guidelines are in place to protect not only the recipients of blood components, but also the collection, testing and nursing staff of blood centers and hospitals.

While some consider this discrimination, it is in reality a response to epidemiological data. Current blood donation screening using HIV Nucleic Acid testing (PCR) may detect viral RNA as early as 7-10 days post-exposure. HIV antibody testing, used in conjunction with NAT, can detect infection after 12-21 days post-exposure. It is this "window period', the time between infection and detection, that the FDA is concerned about. Though window-period donations are rare, the first case of post-transfusion HIV since 2002 was recently reported in the publication listed below:

CDC "Mortality and Morbidity Weekly Report" October 22, 2010 / 59(41);1335-1339

Specifics on the donor indicate unreported MSM activity over many years.

Until pathogen inactivation technology has been perfected to treat donated blood components for transfusion-transmissible diseases, donor questionnaires and screening tests provide the best chance for a safe blood supply.

Please visit the FDA web page, below, concerning MSM and volunteer blood donation.

http://www.fda.gov/BiologicsBloodVaccine%E2%80%A6

Yeah I didnt like this question that was asked when I was going to donate blood. It's like would you turn down someone that could save another person's life? Ive never had sex, but seeing as that I am gay I was turned off by ever donating blood again.

Michael, you are the paradigm of self-deprecating ignorance. Speak for yourself please, YOU may very well "get nasty," in no way does this apply to the general census of circumspect sexually active men who take considerable caution in safe sexual practices. You may very well be so oblivious to your partners that you'd stick your wang in a bear trap and take a hot poker in the wazoo (judging by your inane answer I wouldn't put it past you). Just remember, it does not pertain to those of us with conscientious dispositions--not by a long shot.

On to this issue of donating, I do not blame you in the least for lying, you are not the first man to do this nor will you be the last. There is an underground coalition that advises men who have had homosexual encounters to do the same, God knows the extent of such numbers. The FDA has implemented an utterly brash, senseless, moronic impasse that prevents gay men from donating blood. They contend with this horsesh!t by claiming it is not an issue of discrimination, simply national security predicated on scientific correlations. Yet you do not see them barring African American women from donating despite that they too are a high-risk demographic in terms of HIV. Men who have had sex with prostitutes of unknown health status are refrained from donating for only a year--goes to show you just how asinine the FDA is.

I would have to say your only mistake was bothering to donate at all. As it happens, I have no sexual history, so I am completely at liberty to donate. Out of my ethical conscience I avidly REFUSE to donate a single solitary drop of my much-needed blood to any organization in holding with the barbaric dictum of the FDA. They want my blood so badly? Then they better eradicate this fatuous bar on homosexual men. The ban is retroactive to every year back to 1977, give me a f[_]cking break.

@Flubber/bloodoctor: The ban is scientifically unwarranted; if the FDA provides men who have had unprotected sex with prostitutes infected with HIV a one-year deferral yet imposes a life-time ban on healthy safe gay men, there is NOTHING rational or diplomatic about that. Screening should be their highest priority and their primary method for ALL donators. The FDA has not barred sexually active African American women from donating despite them being a high risk demographic for HIV and STDs yet they maintain that public safety preludes discrimination. The FDA is a joke. As I've said before I will not donate a drop regardless of the national blood shortage. And I will be advising as many gay men as possible to answer falsely on the insensible questionnares (as if it's even a proper safety measure! The honesty policy?! Looks like the FDA needs a more pro-active beacon!)

Dude. This is just a safety measure. We all know us boys can get pretty nasty with a lot of partners. I don't get offended to this question. It makes me feel a little more safe that they are picky.