Blood Donation

[-Nick]

I would love to give blood but I can't because of my sexuality which is a shame but I can see why they don't let you.

I don't get why this would effect donating blood?

If I was older enough, I would probably donate.

[Alkaz]

I don't get why this would effect donating blood?

If I was older enough, I would probably donate.

There was a thing years ago I think where a gay man donated blood and he had HIV and didn't know and they gave his blood to quite a lot of people who became infected with the HIV. If you've not had intercourse for 12+ months then you're fine.

[James]

I haven't looked into if I can, or even what blood type I am. Realistically I probably wouldn't donate blood, purely because of my major nausea when it comes to needles and blood.

[MKR&*42]

I don't get why this would effect donating blood?

If I was older enough, I would probably donate.

Pretty much what Alkaz said.

Gay men supposedly have a higher risk of catching HIV and there are apparently rare chances that it won't be detected in tests, so it's outright banned if you've had intercourse (m>m) in the past 12 months.

Though it used to be a total ban until a few years back. 12 months is very lax compared to previous lifetime ban.

I mean, at present the USA has a total ban if you've ever had male-male sex, though it's changing this year.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Men_who...or_controversy shows all countries that allow it and dont allow it, a large number of them wont allow you to donate if you ever have m-m sex.

[-:Undertaker:-]

There was a thing years ago I think where a gay man donated blood and he had HIV and didn't know and they gave his blood to quite a lot of people who became infected with the HIV. If you've not had intercourse for 12+ months then you're fine.

It was more than just one gay man, funnily enough I just watched 'And the band played on' (a 1993 movie about the HIV-Aids epidemic) and the number of people who caught HIV via blood transfusions ran into the tens of thousands, most of which the blood came from gay men who had donated blood. It mostly effected haemophiliacs as they require regular blood transfusions, and was essentially a death sentence for no fault of their own. Awful.

You can watch the entire film via YouTube, pretty interesting and based on real people: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4UGLZXEJoyo

Gay men supposedly have a higher risk of catching HIV

A much much much higher risk. If gay sex were the norm throughout western countries, we'd literally have an HIV outbreak on a scale of parts of southern Africa.

I think of all new HIV transmissions today, something like 50% or just over are gay people. That's a hell of a lot considering they're 1% to 5% of the population.

[MKR&*42]

It was more than just one gay man, funnily enough I just watched 'And the band played on' (a 1993 movie about the HIV-Aids epidemic) and the number of people who caught HIV via blood transfusions ran into the tens of thousands, most of which the blood came from gay men who had donated blood. It mostly effected haemophiliacs as they require regular blood transfusions, and was essentially a death sentence for no fault of their own. Awful.

You can watch the entire film via YouTube, pretty interesting and based on real people: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4UGLZXEJoyo



A much much much higher risk. If gay sex were the norm throughout western countries, we'd literally have an HIV outbreak on a scale of parts of southern Africa.

I think of all new HIV transmissions today, something like 50% or just over are gay people. That's a hell of a lot considering they're 1% to 5% of the population.

Yeah I thought for a second it was the risk that was disputed by LGBT groups (realise now it's not), but it's actually the fact that a promiscuous heterosexual male who has slept around a lot can donate but they can't

I find it odd that around 15 countries still don't ban them from donating if they've had sex despite all the HIV risk.

[-:Undertaker:-]

Yeah I thought for a second it was the risk that was disputed by LGBT groups (realise now it's not), but it's actually the fact that a promiscuous heterosexual male who has slept around a lot can donate but they can't

I find it odd that around 15 countries still don't ban them from donating if they've had sex despite all the HIV risk.

The reason for that though is not actually just the promiscuous behaviour, but the actual sex act itself. Far more riskier than normal vaginal sex.

[AgnesIO]

It was more than just one gay man, funnily enough I just watched 'And the band played on' (a 1993 movie about the HIV-Aids epidemic) and the number of people who caught HIV via blood transfusions ran into the tens of thousands, most of which the blood came from gay men who had donated blood. It mostly effected haemophiliacs as they require regular blood transfusions, and was essentially a death sentence for no fault of their own. Awful.

You can watch the entire film via YouTube, pretty interesting and based on real people: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4UGLZXEJoyo



A much much much higher risk. If gay sex were the norm throughout western countries, we'd literally have an HIV outbreak on a scale of parts of southern Africa.

I think of all new HIV transmissions today, something like 50% or just over are gay people. That's a hell of a lot considering they're 1% to 5% of the population.

Whilst you are correct about the fact that most new infections are through homosexual (male) sex, the ratio between men and women (who contract HIV) has become MUCH closer, with it being somewhere near 2:1 now, whereas it was 6 male infections to 1 female infection.

[-:Undertaker:-]

Whilst you are correct about the fact that most new infections are through homosexual (male) sex, the ratio between men and women (who contract HIV) has become MUCH closer, with it being somewhere near 2:1 now, whereas it was 6 male infections to 1 female infection.

On a world or western country basis?

[AgnesIO]

On a world or western country basis?

Sorry, should have clarified - in the UK.

Source: Avert