Apr 13 2008
End the Blood Ban
I just found out that men who have sex with other men, even if they they only ever have ’safe sex’ are excluded from being blood donors. Yet a woman who has unprotected sex with hundreds of different men is allowed to give blood!
Crazy, but its true. Due to the “risk” of HIV transmission, the National Blood Service has a ban on gay and bisexual men, and their female partners, donating blood. The ban - a hangover from the 1980’s when HIV transmission was not well understood - is based on who you have sex with not how you have sex. This is in spite of the fact that the rate of heterosexually acquired HIV infections diagnosed in the UK overtook the rate of homosexually acquired HIV infections in 1999. [Source]
Just to give you an example of how perverse this ban is, a gay or bisexual man, or his female partner could supply a recent HIV test proving they are HIV negative yet would still be refused the opportunity to give blood. Whilst the straight guy or girl who has had unprotected sex with dozens of partners and no recent HIV test would be instantly accepted onto the blood donor register.
This ban has got to end, as its motivated by and outdated understanding of the facts, re-enforced with an unhealthy dose of homophobia and biphobia and not by medical science. Especially considering there is a national shortage of blood donors and modern screening tests which make the ban redundant.
There has already been major support for an end to the ban. The Lib Dem Welsh spring conference voted to end the blood ban. And there is a very active, independent petition which you can sign to help end this travesty. In the meantime, if you are not currently excluded, the UK is very low on blood stocks. Please make an appointment at your local blood donor clinic and give blood. Irrespective of the politics, Britain urgently needs blood donors you can help even if others currently can’t.
Resources:
- Give Blood - The National Blood Service
- Sign the Petition to End the Blood Ban - BloodBan.co.uk
- DELGA on the blood ban - Lib Dem LGBT Group
- UK HIV Statistics - Avert
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I have a great idea for a protest about this. Organise everyone in your local area who is a) exempted from blood donation by prejudice and b) interested to turn up outside your local blood bank holding a pint of water dyed red with food colouring, i.e.- “this is blood you could have if you weren’t so prejudiced”. Then create a suitably eye catching photo op with the vessels of “blood”. Perhaps arranging them into an artistic/provocative sculpture.
Whaddya think?
Its a good idea but at this time such direct action is probably not necessary. The matter has been raised with a consultant haematologist from the NHS blood donor team and they have suggested the matter will be reviewed by SABTO: the Advisory Committee on the Safety of Blood, Tissues and Organs, later this year. However signatures are still needed on the petition to keep this issue high on the agenda.
You can read more here:
http://www.bloodban.co.uk/background.html
I guess if nothing changes after the committee review the policy then the time for more visible protests is upon us.