Comments on: Blood Donation Stupidness http://www.snell-pym.org.uk/archives/2010/08/10/blood-donation-stupidness/ Sarah and Alaric Snell-Pym living in interesting times Wed, 23 May 2012 00:14:11 +0000 http://wordpress.org/?v=2.7 hourly 1 By: Gavan http://www.snell-pym.org.uk/archives/2010/08/10/blood-donation-stupidness/comment-page-1/#comment-139731 Gavan Fri, 13 Aug 2010 17:02:53 +0000 http://www.snell-pym.org.uk/?p=2147#comment-139731 <p>They are excluding a group, though, the group of men who have had sex with men. Once you have joined that group, you can <em>never</em> leave it, even if all risk associated with the activity has been dealt with by waiting a time period and having tests.</p> <p>Permanent exclusion makes sense if you are in a risk group for something which you can't prove you do not have, such as (currently, I believe) CJD. But for HIV, there are well-established tests available, and well-known time periods to wait before taking those tests.</p> They are excluding a group, though, the group of men who have had sex with men. Once you have joined that group, you can never leave it, even if all risk associated with the activity has been dealt with by waiting a time period and having tests.

Permanent exclusion makes sense if you are in a risk group for something which you can't prove you do not have, such as (currently, I believe) CJD. But for HIV, there are well-established tests available, and well-known time periods to wait before taking those tests.

]]> By: Rachel Cotterill http://www.snell-pym.org.uk/archives/2010/08/10/blood-donation-stupidness/comment-page-1/#comment-139726 Rachel Cotterill Fri, 13 Aug 2010 13:05:32 +0000 http://www.snell-pym.org.uk/?p=2147#comment-139726 <p>Amazed that isn't illegal, these days. Personal opinion? If you're beyond the 12 month buffer point, just lie. It's not like they can check (unlike with transfusions where there should be medical records).</p> Amazed that isn't illegal, these days. Personal opinion? If you're beyond the 12 month buffer point, just lie. It's not like they can check (unlike with transfusions where there should be medical records).

]]> By: Stephen http://www.snell-pym.org.uk/archives/2010/08/10/blood-donation-stupidness/comment-page-1/#comment-139718 Stephen Fri, 13 Aug 2010 12:19:20 +0000 http://www.snell-pym.org.uk/?p=2147#comment-139718 <p>Thankfully the rule here in Australia is that you can't give blood for 12 months after male->male sex. However, we can't ever give blood because we used to live in the UK! If you've spent 6 months or more in the UK between 1980 and 1996 you can't ever give blood because they're worried you might have CJD.</p> Thankfully the rule here in Australia is that you can't give blood for 12 months after male->male sex. However, we can't ever give blood because we used to live in the UK! If you've spent 6 months or more in the UK between 1980 and 1996 you can't ever give blood because they're worried you might have CJD.

]]> By: sarah http://www.snell-pym.org.uk/archives/2010/08/10/blood-donation-stupidness/comment-page-1/#comment-139707 sarah Fri, 13 Aug 2010 10:58:00 +0000 http://www.snell-pym.org.uk/?p=2147#comment-139707 <p>To be fair Gavan they are not completely excluding a group here - they say if you have never had sex but are a gay man you can give blood and lesbians can anyway.</p> <p>They just seem to be being incredibly stupid about how sex works :/ Plus their restrictions mean that any woman married to say a bisexual man who is now just with them - can not give blood either. Nor if they are with a man who has been raped which is shocking really :(</p> To be fair Gavan they are not completely excluding a group here - they say if you have never had sex but are a gay man you can give blood and lesbians can anyway.

They just seem to be being incredibly stupid about how sex works :/ Plus their restrictions mean that any woman married to say a bisexual man who is now just with them - can not give blood either. Nor if they are with a man who has been raped which is shocking really :(

]]> By: Gavan http://www.snell-pym.org.uk/archives/2010/08/10/blood-donation-stupidness/comment-page-1/#comment-139586 Gavan Thu, 12 Aug 2010 13:17:03 +0000 http://www.snell-pym.org.uk/?p=2147#comment-139586 <p>This wouldn't be nearly so bad if the rule was that you couldn't give blood if you had had gay sex since 12 months before your last negative STD screen. I find the <em>permanent</em> exclusions of whole groups of people baffling.</p> This wouldn't be nearly so bad if the rule was that you couldn't give blood if you had had gay sex since 12 months before your last negative STD screen. I find the permanent exclusions of whole groups of people baffling.

]]> By: sarah http://www.snell-pym.org.uk/archives/2010/08/10/blood-donation-stupidness/comment-page-1/#comment-139579 sarah Thu, 12 Aug 2010 12:32:26 +0000 http://www.snell-pym.org.uk/?p=2147#comment-139579 <p>I never noticed it until it was pointed out :/ I would have been indignant at 18 when I first gave blood had I known.</p> I never noticed it until it was pointed out :/ I would have been indignant at 18 when I first gave blood had I known.

]]> By: Iain Watson http://www.snell-pym.org.uk/archives/2010/08/10/blood-donation-stupidness/comment-page-1/#comment-139577 Iain Watson Thu, 12 Aug 2010 12:26:46 +0000 http://www.snell-pym.org.uk/?p=2147#comment-139577 <p>I've never understood this rule, it just seems so arbitary and archaic. It's not like people haven't been campaigning for years to get the government to change it. Shame on Labour for not pushing for it, it'll never get done under the Tories for fear off looking like they think gays should be treated as human beings.</p> I've never understood this rule, it just seems so arbitary and archaic. It's not like people haven't been campaigning for years to get the government to change it. Shame on Labour for not pushing for it, it'll never get done under the Tories for fear off looking like they think gays should be treated as human beings.

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