Comments on: There Won’t Be Blood

By: b. lynch black

b. lynch black — Mon, 25 Feb 2008 17:32:22 +0000

i have an uncommon blood type with some rare proteins that make it very desirable for platlet donation. for several years i had donated blood and platlets on a regular basis. then, suddenly, because i had lived in england for more than 3 months — over 12 years ago — my blood was not “useable.” i have never been ill, or on medication, engaged in “questionable” behavior, or even had a tattoo but because of studying in england, my once desireable blood was no longer wanted. i know of not one single person who was at school with me at that time who came down with CJZ or any other blood-born disease.

a few weeks after that rejection, i got a letter from the NY Blood Center saying that, even though i might never be able to donate blood again, they would like me to engage in an AIDS vaccine trial. because of family considerations, i had to refuse. and it turns out the trial was not only *not* successful, it is believed that at least 4 volunteers became infected with HIV.

i know that blood donation questionnaire answers are based on the “honor” system, but i’m beginning to think it’s time for clean-living gays, and others whose only risky behavior has been travel, to start lying on those questionnaires. they need blood, and i’m willing. it is foolishness to keep the supply limited to such a narrow portion of the population.

By: Not even gay...

Not even gay... — Thu, 14 Feb 2008 06:34:03 +0000

Last fall, my company supported a blood drive. I was actually excited to participate; I had been excluded years ago because medication I was taking persisted in the blood stream for too long.

I’d nearly completed the screening interview when the tech asked if I’d ever engaged in sexual contact with another male. I said I had and explained it had been over 12 years ago. He apologized profusely and said the ban spoken of in this article kept any male EVER having sexual contact with another male from donating blood.

I’m thinking we can thank the still-taboo status of youthful homosexual experimentation for a portion of the existing supply; god knows if all folks were as honest to the techs as I’d been we’d have still less blood available. As I truly want to give blood, I’ve even considered lying.

Abso-fricking-lutely absurd. Do they let black folks give? Cause, ya know, they have pig blood… Gimmie a damn break!

By: davidwr

davidwr — Tue, 12 Feb 2008 19:57:51 +0000

Perhaps a “go slow” approach will defuse the politics. Start with a 2-year deferral, with 2 required HIV tests: 1 no less than 12 months after the last high-risk activity, and another no less than 12 months after the first. True, there is little scientific evidence to show a 12-month deferral with 1 test is any less accurate but we are talking fear and politics here.
If Obama or Clinton win in November it will all be moot anyways, policy will finally catch up with science.
How many people have died for lack of blood since the current policy came into being?

By: There Won’t Be Blood « Cosmic Blatherings

There Won’t Be Blood « Cosmic Blatherings — Tue, 12 Feb 2008 18:31:01 +0000

[...] so i poked around to find out why this is, and the result was published in 10zenmonkeys today. [...]