Equal Blood Donor Rights

For many people, the subject line of this post may read as confusing. It comes as a major shock to many people that I encounter that any man who has had sex with another man, even once since 1977 is permanently banned from donating blood. Let me clarify. This is not a ban for just gay male donors. The ban includes any man who has ever had sex with another man since 1977. This includes bisexual men, men who have experimented with other men, and even if a man was raped by another man. It's the popular and simple sidestep to call this a ban on gay men from donating blood however, you can see that it is more comprehensive than just that.

The ban in place was implemented by the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) in 1985 in response to the HIV/AIDS epidemic. Information about HIV/AIDS, testing procedures, and treatment plans were minimal or non-existent. The information at our disposal today is exceedingly accurate, scientifically informed, and compelling. However, due to the fear surrounding HIV/AIDS, the FDA has decided the continue this policy, which many feel is nothing more than fear-based discrimination. 

Organizations such as the American Medical Association (AMA), the Association of Academic Health Centers (AAHC), the American Red Cross, the American Associate of Blood Banks (AABB), and America's Blood Centers (ABC) have all spoken out in favor of the removal of this lifetime ban for the MSM (men who have had sex with other men) demographic. 

According to the FDA, your current chances of receiving HIV from a blood transfusion are approximately 1 in 2,000,000 (Please keep in mind that thousands of MSM already donate their blood and simply choose not to admit to their sexual activity on the donor questionnaire. Yet, the statistic remains this extreme. Clearly the MSM demographic donating their blood is not a problem with current screening procedures as effective as they are). According to data from the National Atmospheric and Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration, you are 320 times more likely to be struck by lightning in your life than you are to contract HIV from a blood transfusion.

It is my hope that the Stony Brook community, comprised of well-learned, free-thinking, logical, and scientifically literate individuals can get behind the movement toward rallying our nation together for the sake of urging the FDA to repeal this lifetime ban.

For many people, the idea of substituting the policy for a 12 month deferral for a man since their last sexual activity with another man is good enough. However, this would mean that a man in a monogamous, loving, committed relationship with another man would have to abstain from any sexual activity with their one partner for an entire year before being allowed to donate. Clearly, this is not a valid solution. The only fair solution would be to create a series of subset demographic targeted questions to allow for monogamous men who are sexually safe to donate their blood. Anyone with healthy blood should be allowed to save lives. They should also be allowed to love their significant others, partners, husbands, boyfriends, etc.

Stony Brook University is where history is made regularly. I think it's time to make a little more...

Make this cause a Stony Brook cause. Tell the Undergraduate Student Government that you support equal rights for healthy individuals who want to save lives. Together, we can make this a reality.

I will stay on top of responding to comments for those who are looking to become more deeply involved in this movement. Otherwise, simply voting for this and urging USG to make this a priority is deeply appreciated.