Should gay men continue to be banned from donating blood?

[AFeedz]

yea i'll say let's go ahead and exclude HIV positive women..

No, we need to exclude all heterosexual women because of all women, they're most likely to have HIV so it's not worth it to take the chance collecting blood even from those that aren't HIV+. I mean, that's the logic we're applying to homosexual men, right?

 

[-SD-]

white male landowners FTW

 

[nimbus]

No, we need to exclude all heterosexual women because of all women, they're most likely to have HIV so it's not worth it to take the chance collecting blood even from those that aren't HIV+. I mean, that's the logic we're applying to homosexual men, right?

no, that's not the logic i'm applying at all. I'm weighing the percentage increase in HIV+ donor blood against the percentage increase in donor blood available. If you ban gay men, you lose 2% of your blood supply but cut the % of HIV+ blood in HALF. That is an amazing benefit.

Now if you ban straight women, you lose almost HALF your blood supply. But the % of donor blood that is HIV+ does not decrease by much, if at all. So you would be losing a huge amount of donor blood for almost no benefit - not worth it at all.

 

[Strongbow]

WUt

 

[bakemeacookie]

i'm changing my fav saying:

I have no problem with the geighs...as long as they're not dating blood.

c

 

[-SD-]

i'm changing my fav saying:

I have no problem with the geighs...as long as they're not dating blood.

c

*donating

 

[samoth]

I think all that talk about us being in short supply is bullshit.

Valid comment. I'm not technically in the med field, so I have no idea.

Personally, I don't give blood (or money, or anything else) unless I'm receiving something in return (hey, I'm american!), and I imagine many are the same way... so I tend to believe, given the influx of medical needs, there would tend to be a disproportionate demand-side here. But I could easily be wrong.



:cow;

 

[nimbus]

Valid comment. I'm not technically in the med field, so I have no idea.

Personally, I don't give blood (or money, or anything else) unless I'm receiving something in return (hey, I'm american!), and I imagine many are the same way... so I tend to believe, given the influx of medical needs, there would tend to be a disproportionate demand-side here. But I could easily be wrong.



:cow;

you can get a tshirt, public praise, and also the chance to miss class if you're in school

 

[lartinos]

I have no intention of ever giving blood, but I am an organ donor.

 

[nimbus]

I have no intention of ever giving blood, but I am an organ donor.

even if they unban you?