Changes to Canadian Blood Services ban on gay male donors

[Taeryyn]

Quote:

Canadian Blood Services wants to change a long-standing policy that would allow gay men to donate blood if they haven't had sex with a man in the last five years.

It's a change from a total ban on donations from any man who had ever had sex with another man.

http://www.cbc.ca/news/canada/new-brunswick/story/2013/01/12/calgary-blood-services-changes.html


So, instead of completely refusing donations from any man who has had sex with another man since 1977 (or women who've had sex with a man who has done so), they're soon going to be willing to accept blood from men who have been celibate (or sleeping with women, I guess) for the past five years.

Part of me wants to be happy that it's better than nothing, but ultimately this change seems pointless. I certainly don't think this is going to widen the pool of potential donors by much, anyway. It still eliminates people who could be great potential donors, and it does so simply because these individuals aren't celibate or straight. If I've been in a stable relationship for years, and neither my partner(s) nor I have any diseases or health problems that would otherwise exclude us from blood donation, how does it make sense to automatically prohibit us from donating?

As the recipient of donated blood myself, I am very grateful that CBS is careful about the blood they accept, but I am also concerned that they're refusing perfectly good blood and plasma based on politics rather than facts.

If you're curious about the kinds of questions they ask when you donate blood, you can check out the donor questionnaire here. After seeing question 11 (which asks, among other things, if you've ever had epilepsy), I guessed that I would be excluded anyway, gay or not, but there is a note on the page that says questions 1 through 13 don't necessarily impact your eligibility.

Anyway. Your thoughts?
Have any of you ever received or donated blood?
For those of you outside of Canada, what are the policies on blood donation in your region? If I recall correctly, there's a ban in the US, as well, but I'm not familiar with the policies elsewhere.  

[Isabella Kiyoshi]

I'm a blood donor in the United States and currently the policy is that even if I had sex with another guy even once they won't let me donate blood, as well as with a person who lived in various African and European countries.  

[TheSlayerKills]

Alien dude2

I'm a blood donor in the United States and currently the policy is that even if I had sex with another guy even once they won't let me donate blood, as well as with a person who lived in various African and European countries.

Oh, I wasn't aware of that! I never really looked into donating blood since I've had a male sex partner before. But, I recently have been curious about what other restrictions they might have after taking a class dealing with disease. All I could think about was "Well, shouldn't they be banning this and this and that and this, etc." I really should look up their reasoning behind the ban though.  

[XrosHeartless]

I don't donate blood so...  

[Chris ex Machina]

Um... my question is, why ban them? I know in a lot of places there have been blood shortages (at least in the U.S.) due to lack of donors, why refuse the blood if they are willing? Honestly, a heterosexual guy is just as likely to have something wrong with their blood (examples: HIV or various STDs) as a homosexual guy. It's a positive change, but not much of one.... I agree with the view that it's more of politics than making sure the blood is safe.  

[Lady Kayura]

Taeryyn

Anyway. Your thoughts?
Have any of you ever received or donated blood?
For those of you outside of Canada, what are the policies on blood donation in your region? If I recall correctly, there's a ban in the US, as well, but I'm not familiar with the policies elsewhere.

My thoughts? 5 years seems just a tad bit excessive. And it perpetuates the idea that AIDS is only passed through gay men. It isn't. >_<

I've never received blood but I've donated. I'm O- which means my blood could go to anyone. Which I once thought was nice. Until the Red Cross started harassing me to donate. See, when I donate I would be borderline sick. Weak, dizzy. Then it got to the point where I'd pass out. So I explained that to the Red Cross when they'd call. They told me to drink more water. I did. They told me to eat. I'd eat before AND after. As in full meals. Doesn't matter what I do. So I don't donate often. And yet they still call. I've explained this to them and asked them to stop calling. They still call. Very annoying. I regret giving them my damn number. -_-

And as far as I know, the US does have a ban on blood donations from homosexual males.  

[humble_gypsy_traveller]

I've lied many a time when i use to donate...for the main reason of the stereotypes that homosexual blood is tainted...but since reading the requirements...I've been in a sort of, protest, if you will, about donating blood. I know, I know, it's a stupid thing to protest...but I think the laws are wrong and outdated.  

[Taeryyn]

I don't know that it's necessarily the law that's the problem. This is a policy, as far as I know, not a law.  

[Isabella Kiyoshi]

Not sure if protesting would do anything at all in this case. The laws are probably more political than for safety reasons since heterosexual males can have the HIV virus, as well as AIDS without knowing since in some cases it could take years for the first symptoms to appear.

The five year measure doesn't seem to be effective, it somewhat sounds like the Canadian government is trying to say "If you refrain from being yourself for five years we'll consider your blood clean". I doubt that they are saying that, however it does sound that way..  

[Taeryyn]

Again, this is not a law (in Canada, anyway), it's a policy. Canadian Blood Services is a not-for-profit charitable organization, not a government body.  

[Purple Robot Queen]

I know plenty of gay men in the US who just lie about their orientation and donate anyway. The blood still gets tested, so they figure it's the best way to go.

Since my mom's life was saved as a child by donated blood (went through a car windshield at age 2) I'm happy to see people so adamant to give blood. Personally, I don't do it, though. I'm an organ donor, so they can have my guts when I'm finished with them, but in the mean time I've been more selfish.  

[Shanna66]

Lady Kayura

Taeryyn

Anyway. Your thoughts?
Have any of you ever received or donated blood?
For those of you outside of Canada, what are the policies on blood donation in your region? If I recall correctly, there's a ban in the US, as well, but I'm not familiar with the policies elsewhere.

My thoughts? 5 years seems just a tad bit excessive. And it perpetuates the idea that AIDS is only passed through gay men. It isn't. >_<

I've never received blood but I've donated. I'm O- which means my blood could go to anyone. Which I once thought was nice. Until the Red Cross started harassing me to donate. See, when I donate I would be borderline sick. Weak, dizzy. Then it got to the point where I'd pass out. So I explained that to the Red Cross when they'd call. They told me to drink more water. I did. They told me to eat. I'd eat before AND after. As in full meals. Doesn't matter what I do. So I don't donate often. And yet they still call. I've explained this to them and asked them to stop calling. They still call. Very annoying. I regret giving them my damn number. -_-

And as far as I know, the US does have a ban on blood donations from homosexual males.

i have friends who donate every couple days it seems like, they are always bugging me to go. but im pretty anemic and any large amount of blood loss can really mess with me.  

[Isabella Kiyoshi]

Purple Robot King

I know plenty of gay men in the US who just lie about their orientation and donate anyway. The blood still gets tested, so they figure it's the best way to go.

I may actually do that if I ever get into a relationship with another guy and it gets intimate. I highly doubt that it a person who's straight receives blood from a gay man that he'd become gay or burst into flames.

(..I just thought of that happening, it was funny as hell. Not the bursting into flames option, the one where the person instantly turns gay xd )  

[Purple Robot Queen]

Alien dude2

Purple Robot King

I know plenty of gay men in the US who just lie about their orientation and donate anyway. The blood still gets tested, so they figure it's the best way to go.

I may actually do that if I ever get into a relationship with another guy and it gets intimate. I highly doubt that it a person who's straight receives blood from a gay man that he'd become gay or burst into flames.

(..I just thought of that happening, it was funny as hell. Not the bursting into flames option, the one where the person instantly turns gay xd )

Hehe. Maybe we can spread like zombies! razz  

[Isabella Kiyoshi]

Purple Robot King

Alien dude2

Purple Robot King

I know plenty of gay men in the US who just lie about their orientation and donate anyway. The blood still gets tested, so they figure it's the best way to go.

I may actually do that if I ever get into a relationship with another guy and it gets intimate. I highly doubt that it a person who's straight receives blood from a gay man that he'd become gay or burst into flames.

(..I just thought of that happening, it was funny as hell. Not the bursting into flames option, the one where the person instantly turns gay xd )

Hehe. Maybe we can spread like zombies! razz

That would also be awesome