Couple that with the devastating AIDS epidemic that was killing gay men all around the country at the time, and it's somewhat understandable that officials were reluctant to accept blood they believed has the potential to affect other patients.īut with modern developments like the creation of effective blood tests came criticism that the lifetime ban on gay men was archaic and homophobic. While blood banks were lucky enough on Sunday to be able to turn away the long lines of donors for the remainder of the afternoon and evening after the mass shooting, following an outpouring of community support, the question still lingers.įrom 1983 until last year, gay men were universally banned from giving blood, assuming they'd had "sexual contact" with another man anytime since 1977, NBC News reported in 2013, because they were considered to be at a higher risk for contracting and spreading some sexually transmitted diseases like Hepatitis B and AIDS.īefore March 1985, there was no way for the FDA to test donated blood for HIV.
Why cant gay men donate blood in the us update#
Update : The FBI has updated the death toll to 49 victims. But why are gay men banned from donating in the first place? The blood bank has since stated that the reports are false. It's a contested position, to be sure, and in the aftermath of a devastating Orlando nightclub ambush during which a gunman killed about 50 patrons and injured at least as many, reports began to circulate that a Florida blood bank was rescinding the regulation that gay men can't give blood in a terribly ironic situation, because the club that was attacked, Pulse, has been a haven for members of the LGBT community. We will keep fighting until the deferral period is lifted and gay and bi men, and all LGBTQ people, are treated equal to others.The Food and Drug Administration's official stance is that blood donation centers should not accept blood from gay men who have had sex with other men in the past year. The FDA’s decision to lower the deferral period on men who have sex with men from 12 months to 3 months is a step towards being more in line with science, but remains imperfect. "This is a victory for all of us who raised our collective voices against the discriminatory ban on gay and bisexual men donating blood. "LGBTQ Americans can hold their heads up today and know that our voices will always triumph over discrimination," GLAAD President and CEO Sarah Kate Ellis said in a statement.
![why cant gay men donate blood in the us why cant gay men donate blood in the us](https://www.bostonglobe.com/resizer/lOnqc9eo2PyKjtv_OdDAJaEkiiA=/arc-anglerfish-arc2-prod-bostonglobe/public/5I6POR7PQGCBJIICUF4GHI7ZTI.jpg)
![why cant gay men donate blood in the us why cant gay men donate blood in the us](https://i.ytimg.com/vi/DZTvWoF1jT8/maxresdefault.jpg)
In the last week Democratic senators and gay rights advocacy groups have called on the federal government to loosen these restrictions, citing the recent blood shortages caused by the COVID-19 outbreak. We must right this wrong now and without delay." Continuing to enforce the de facto prohibition on blood donation by sexually active gay and bisexual men does not reflect the best science available.
![why cant gay men donate blood in the us why cant gay men donate blood in the us](https://penntoday.upenn.edu/sites/default/files/2020-04/iStock-627356286_SOCIAL.jpg)
He continued, "As the global pandemic wears on, the integrity and safety of the blood supply in this country must be preserved, strengthened, and maintained. But our work is not yet done."ĭavid said it was "critical to prioritize science and facts over fear and bias," referring to the current COVID-19 pandemic. "While this change by the FDA is a step in the right direction, it still bases itself in bias rather than science," Alphonso David, president of the Human Rights Campaign, said in a statement. The Human Rights Campaign, the largest LGBTQ civil rights organization, recognized the FDA’s move as a step forward but said there’s more work to be done. Some hospitals are facing an oxygen shortage amid coronavirus crisis