Ramifications of the Ban in the LGBTQ+ Community To donate blood, I had to give up all forms of sex for a year. This policy is clearly based on stigma towards MSM rather than on science. At the same time, non MSM donors who have multiple sexual partners are permitted to donate blood. The FDA deferral policy ignores these differences and applies a blanket 12-month deferral without providing exceptions to those in monogamous relationships, those on HIV medications that lower transmission risks, and those that practice safer sex. MSM vary widely in the number of sexual partners they have as well as in their engagement with risky sexual behaviors that determine HIV infection risks. Though this is true, the MSM population is not homogenous. Still, the premise of the MSM blood donation deferral revolves around the assumption that MSM blood donors have a higher risk of contaminating blood supplies due to disproportionately high rates of HIV as compared to other groups in the U.S. The American Public Health Association confirms this, stating that the 12-month deferral was modeled after policies of other countries rather than empirical scientific studies. Therefore, opening up blood donations to MSM donors would not cause a significant difference in HIV transmission risk from blood transfusions. Based on this science, a 12-month deferral for MSM does not make any sense furthermore, the test is able to detect HIV with such a high precision that only 1 in 3.1 million units of blood infected with HIV will make it past the screen. Current tests for HIV are able to detect the presence of the virus with high precision within 11 days after infection. population, the FDA put the 12 month MSM blood deferral policy in place with the goal of minimizing HIV transmission risks through blood transfusions.īut does a ban of this length really decrease the likelihood of HIV ending up in the blood pool? The FDA screens every unit of blood donated for infectious diseases prior to entering the donation pool. Since MSM have higher rates of HIV as compared to the general U.S.
![can gay men donate blood 2015 can gay men donate blood 2015](https://images.forwardcdn.com/image/1300x/center/images/cropped/blood-donation-gettyimages-539870992-1515606136.jpg)
Even with these testing procedures in place, a small number of infected samples still make it through the screen. To prevent this from happening, rigorous laboratory tests are performed on every unit of blood before it enters the blood pool. Various viruses including HIV can be present in donated blood, which contaminate the general blood supply and pose a threat to recipients of blood transfusions. Unfortunately, not all blood donated is safe or usable. The goal of blood drives is to collect the largest volume of healthy blood to be used in lifesaving medical treatments and surgical procedures. Though the change in policy is a step in the right direction, the current MSM blood donation deferral is based on questionable science and perpetuates a stigma against MSM while limiting the already scarce U.S. Despite medical and diagnostic advances in the field of HIV, the FDA continued to enforce a lifetime ban on MSM from donating blood until 2015, when they reduced the lifetime deferral to 12 months from the most recent sexual contact. The policy impacted MSM, women who have sex with MSM, and transgender people that could be considered MSM. Originating in 1983 during the height of the HIV and AIDS epidemic in the U.S., the policy was created as an emergency measure to prevent contamination of the U.S. The blood donation ban for men who have sex with men (MSM) was a restriction that prevented any man who had sex with another man, regardless of sexual orientation, from donating blood. Origin and History of the Ban in the U.S.
![can gay men donate blood 2015 can gay men donate blood 2015](http://logoonline.mtvnimages.com/uri/mgid:file:http:shared:s3.amazonaws.com/articles.newnownext.com-production/wp-content/uploads/2019/07/GettyImages-1093904838-1564406647-1564406651.jpg)
This World AIDS Day, we encourage students and activists to join us in resistance against all forms of stigma and discrimination faced by the LGBTQ+ community. Additionally, we will attempt to answer some of these difficult questions and propose a method of action. With increased knowledge, it is our hope that we can empower people to speak up to policy makers and health leaders and create change. blood donation ban in the context of the HIV and AIDS epidemic and discrimination of the LGBTQ+ community. Why do they need to know? Why does it matter? Isn’t this homophobic? This article will explore the history of the U.S. As you go through the screening forms, everything seems normal until you stumble upon a question on whether you have had sex with another man in the past 12 months.Ī few questions run through your head. This article was written, in collaboration, by members of the Queer People and Allies for the Advancement of Medicine at Brown University: Jeremy Wang, Ingrid Mader, Jonathan Spiegel, Matthew Marciello, and Cole Exline.Īs a young gay or bisexual man, the first time you tried to donate blood was probably an embarrassing and slightly confusing experience.