[quote=BBC, 08/09/2011][B]The lifetime ban on blood donations by homosexual and bisexual men will be lifted in England, Scotland and Wales.[/B]
Ministers have agreed to let men who have not had sex with another man in the past 12 months to donate from November.
The restrictions were put in place in the 1980s to prevent the risk of HIV contamination.
However, the latest medical evidence presented to a government panel argued the ban could no longer be justified.
Ministers in the three countries accepted the argument and said they would be relaxing the rules. Northern Ireland is expected to make a decision soon.
The National Blood Service screens all donations for HIV and other infections. However, there is a "window period" after infection during which it is impossible to detect the virus.
In the UK, a lifetime ban was introduced in the early 1980s as a response to the Aids epidemic and the lack of adequate HIV tests.[/quote]
about time
[quote][b]Ministers have agreed to let men who have not had sex with another man in the past 12 months to donate[/b][/quote]
this is still dumb though
[URL="http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/health-14824310"]http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/health-14824310
[/URL]
Good, about time, too
Took them long enough.
Why was there a ban on that in the first place? And how the hell did they identify gay men?
Even if it was for medical reasons, it was kind of a foolish ban to put forward. After all, not all gay people are walking HIV bombs; in fact the ones that even come close to such a state are likely very few and far between in the 21st century, since people are more aware and cautious, and why did this get some dislikes?
[QUOTE=Laserbeams;32180960]Why was there a ban on that in the first place? And how the hell did they identify gay men?[/QUOTE]Showed them pics of nude men and looked at their pants.
[QUOTE=Laserbeams;32180960]Why was there a ban on that in the first place? And how the hell did they identify gay men?[/QUOTE]
there was a huge surge of HIV in the gay community around the time the ban was put into place
Good to show that they look purely at the scientific evidence. I'd imagine that if this were the USA there would be all kinda of debate.
Okay okay, i'll do you guys a favor and be the one who'll be dumb rated to.
"Oh my god now everyone will be gay redo the ban"
Are they banned from giving blood in the US?
Good
Now to wait till they unban it here :smith:
Woops, that looks slightly AGAINST it, just to clarify, I am all for this.
[quote]Ministers have agreed to let men who have not had sex with another man in the past 12 months to donate from November.[/quote]
That's still a little ridiculous. It's not as though 12 months after sex people with HIV would suddenly stop and be fine again - they might not even know it's there.
What's wrong with simply requiring a negative test instead of this total ban if you've had sex with your partner recently? I know I, personally, would be fine with that.
Don't get me wrong, I certainly welcome the change. It's a step forward, but only a small one, IMO.
[QUOTE=TropicalV2;32180996]there was a huge surge of HIV in the gay community around the time the ban was put into place[/QUOTE]
there was a urge of AIDS in every community - AIDS itself wasn't even reported as existing until 1981
[QUOTE=mole3700;32181068]That's still a little ridiculous.[/QUOTE]
yeh it's stupid. we have more than adequate tests these days for blood donations that this shouldn't be necessary. it's also like they're assuming all gay men are so rampant that they can't hold down a long relationship and they're all so stupid they can't use a condom
[QUOTE=ChestyMcGee;32180902]Ministers have agreed to let men who have not had sex with another man in the past 12 months to donate from November.[/QUOTE]This really should be either done away with altogether, or make it apply to anyone who has had sex.
So wait, if I need to get a blood transfusion, there's now I chance that after, I'm going to want to suck dick?
Eh, seems good enough.
[QUOTE=Patriarch;32181130]So wait, if I need to get a blood transfusion, there's now I chance that after, I'm going to want to suck dick?
Eh, seems good enough.[/QUOTE]
wat
There should just be a mandatory aids test for all potential blood donors; straight people can have aids to.
[QUOTE=Patriarch;32181130]So wait, if I need to get a blood transfusion, there's now I chance that after, I'm going to want to suck dick?
Eh, seems good enough.[/QUOTE]
That's not how gay works.
[QUOTE=Patriarch;32181130]So wait, if I need to get a blood transfusion, there's now I chance that after, I'm going to want to suck dick?
Eh, seems good enough.[/QUOTE]
you'll catch the gay
[QUOTE=Aidan_088;32181162]There should just be a mandatory aids test for all potential blood donors; straight people can have aids to.[/QUOTE]
Don't they do a blood test anyway if someone's considering donating blood?
[QUOTE=Coffee;32181282]Don't they do a blood test anyway if someone's considering donating blood?[/QUOTE]
that's why this 12 months of no sex before gay men are allowed to donate seems totally discriminatory
[QUOTE=Coffee;32181282]Don't they do a blood test anyway if someone's considering donating blood?[/QUOTE]
They do, however, as the article states:
[quote]However, there is a "window period" after infection during which it is impossible to detect the virus.[/quote]
Which is why there is a waiting peroid and, again from the article, the actual change in risk:
[quote] Lifetime exclusion - risk of one infection in every 4.41 million donations
Five-year time limit - risk of one infection in every 4.39 million donations
One-year time limit - risk of one infection in every 4.38 million donations
No limit - risk of one infection in every 3.48 million donations[/quote]
Removing a waiting period would have a drastic effect on the number of people who could be exposed to the virus.
It's also worth noting that people who inject themselves with drugs (probably the first or second highest risk group) are still banned for life for donating blood.
Can't wait until these fucking morons die and we will take over because this is getting embarrassing.
[QUOTE=Camundongo;32181464]They do, however, as the article states:
Which is why there is a waiting peroid and, again from the article, the actual change in risk:
Removing a waiting period would have a drastic effect on the number of people who could be exposed to the virus.
It's also worth noting that people who inject themselves with drugs (probably the first or second highest risk group) are still banned for life for donating blood.[/QUOTE]Unless this waiting period for reliable detection somehow only applies to gay men, it's still discrimination.
[QUOTE=Nerts;32181584]Unless this waiting period somehow only applies to gay men, it's still discrimination.[/QUOTE]
Unfortunately, gay men are significantly more likely to be HIV positive than heterosexual men. Taking at quick look at what data I can get (unfortunately from the US):
[quote]"...Men who have had sex with men since 1977 have an HIV prevalence (the total number of cases of a disease that are present in a population at a specific point in time) 60 times higher than the general population, 800 times higher than first time blood donors and 8000 times higher than repeat blood donors. [/quote]
Finally. I can stop lying on their tests now.
[QUOTE=Camundongo;32181743]Unfortunately, gay men are significantly more likely to be HIV positive than heterosexual men. Taking at quick look at what data I can get (unfortunately from the US):[/QUOTE]Yes, but this is a blanket ban on any kind of gay sex at all, while if you're a straight guy and fuck a different woman every week you have no waiting period at all.
I'm not sure if that bolded bit is homophobia. You're not allowed to donate blood if you're a woman, and have had anal or oral sex I think.
[QUOTE=Cloak Raider;32181806]I'm not sure if that bolded bit is homophobia. You're not allowed to donate blood if you're a woman, and have had anal or oral sex I think.[/QUOTE]
This is the case, but there is also another exclusionary that is debatable homophobic; "Female that has had oral or anal sex with a male that has/may have had anal or oral sex with another man"
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