Blood Donation

When I got my provisional driving licence my mother signed me up for giving blood, as well as on to the organ donor register (I have the card and everything xD)

The letter arrived today telling me when and where I have to go to give blood (my mother is going to the same place to give hers).

On the back is a form which has to filled in partly before you go and partly while you are there. Normal blurb about being the right weight etc etc

Then there a section of when you should NEVER give blood, never being caps on the form.

One of these options is if you are a man who has ever had oral or **** sex with another man, with or without protection.

Is this fair? Are they saying that HIV and AIDS are only a homosexual disease? Or can they just not afford to pay for the extra screening?

 

Ok eww.
I don't really see why they would ask that. But it would be more understanding if they asked "did you have sex without protection" to see if you had the chance of contracting HIV or AIDS. If you did, then you wouldn't be able to donate blood.

 

It also says that if you are a woman who has, in the past 12 months, had intercourse with a man who has had intercourse with another man you shouldn't give blood.

Surely they test the blood enough for it not to matter? I just saw it as an unfair and pointless part of the form.

 

I think this is fair. The reason is that if you had AIDS, then you're willing to pass it on? I don't think so. Think again about this.

 

that's not fair.. i mean there sayin that gays give diseases then thats sexist

also for the record im NEVER allowed to give blood anyway

 

The point is, HIV and AIDS are not only caught and passed on by gay people. It is not a "gay" disease. But through asking this question they are saying it is, which would be very insulting to gay people.

 

That sounds really badly worded and offensive. There are many reasons people can't give blood and sexual orientation or gender have nothing to do with it. If you are on certain prescribed drugs or have had certain illnesses. Here it is even if you have had major surgery which involved transfusions in the past. I would be offended if I read that (I can't give blood as I am on drugs for my heart and blood pressure).

In the UK they are always advertising for people to give blood, so something like that here would be highly offensive and would be detrimental to the needs of the medical people. You can register as an organ donor here (which I have) but none of this information is on your driving license. I carry a separate card.

I think this is less offensive and it is completely personal choice.

 

That is a thing added to blood donation questionnaires because AIDS did initially spread rapidly by men who were gay and doing unprotected **** intercourse, figuring it was 'safe'. These people spread it to their wives who were not really knowing of their sexual relations either. **** sex, as far as I've seen any way in reports, doesn't seem more likely to spread an STD than any other sort of unprotected sex.

It does seem it is against gay men because obviously women aren't getting asked if they had -any- **** sex whether it is with a straight man or not. I think they ought to just toss it all out the window because **** sex is not going to give you an STD more so than unprotected oral or other sex. I do think though it's just a residual thing left over from the AIDS scare and that is not the only thing. If you have tattoos or piercings in the last 6 months to a year I believe you also cannot donate blood because of fear that you would have used a shared needle with a recipient who has AIDS. I think it just may be time to update the questionnaires to fit modern times.

 

i still wonder why they ask these questions if they just test you anyways. bizarre standard procedures if you ask me

 

Lol. i cant give blood yet... not till next year. but then again no cus im going to get a TATTOO

 

Yea I heard that tatoos can impurify your blood and is bad for for blood donating.

 

i never gave blood, i have a little thing with needles. i hate when they say, "this won't hurt" because that always gets me tense which makes it hurt. i heard it DOESN'T hurt if you're relaxed which is never the case because they always say "this won't hurt". tho one time a doctor just put alcohol on my arm and just stuck it in w/o saying a thing and it didn't hurt

 

I don't find it bad at all. I actually find it very good just because when you think about it AIDS and HIV were both spread mostly through men having sex with each other, they are not say that all men have it but in reality it is a need precaution to giving blood while they will test the blood later it is also a fact of not wasting equipment when you think of it. It takes about 10 to 20 mins to donate 1 pint of blood, which can add up especially when dealing with alot of people. And suppose you have an accident before they have a chance to test it, then the person that gets that on them is going to be pissed, cause now they got it.

In all fairness no its not bad they do it, its just a need precaution because while yes they can have it, it is not limited to just gay men. It also says druggies and people on certain medications. Its needed, frankly its better safe then sorry.

 

This is off topic (well sort of).... but what do piercings have to do with donating blood? I went to donate blood at the blood drive, but was -denied- due to my pierced lip (which I'd just gotten at the beginning of winter). Apparently it's got to be a year before I can donate blood. I understand the tattoo bit, but why piercings? I was so disappointed.

 

Piercings and tattoos are denied until a year later due to the fact that some tattoo/piercing places are not so hygienic despite the laws we have in place. Most are but for a time years ago they were not and a lot had to change to recognize this. Some places did not use new needles for each patient to cut corners and save. Also, some people give themselves home tattoos or piercings and have shared needles or not properly disinfected them. Basically, they just don't want to take a chance on a person until after a year because of this reason and the fact that piercings take a while to heal and you can get 'poison' in the blood if they are infected at all.

 

O_O
OH MY. Glad I pierced it myslef then... :sweatdrop:
BUT THANKS REPLIKU...
I can finally find some peace on this matter of subject. =D

 

That is just wrong, if gays who have had sex, should still be allowed to give blood.

 

I think it's sort of fair, but this isn't about fairness. It's about avoiding giving people HIV/AIDS. This is simply because that's how the disease got into the mass population. Also, why do we give blood? To help people. It's a step towards safety for the people who will be receiving the blood, which is more important than being completely "fair".

 

Not every gay person has HIV/AIDS. Quite a few straight people do have HIV/AIDS. Surely if gay people want to help others, the health service should accomodate them?

Or is it just too costly?

 

I thought they burned all the diseases out of the blood..... So it really wouldn't matter if they have AIDS or not....