It’s all in the blood
27 Feb, 09 | by Birte Twisselmann
Richard Hurley talks to Bob Roehr and Jay P Brooks about whether men who have sex with men should be allowed to donate blood. He also explores why why some - but by no means all - developed countries now accept blood donations from men who have ever had sex with men. And Birte Twisselmann presents the week’s news roundup.
The full head to head debate - “Should men who have sex with men be allowed to give blood?” - can be downloaded here, and the feature on gay men and blood donation can be downloaded here.
See also:
- Head to head debate (Should men who have sex with men be allowed to give blood? Yes; No)
- Feature (Bad blood: gay men and blood donation)
Weekly podcast 27 February 2009 [13:51m]:
There are numerous conditions that exclude a person from giving blood either temporarily or permanently. I developed polymyalgia and was told I could no longer be a blood donor. Is there a tangible a risk to the recipient? If the answer is yes then clearly this group cannot give blood. I applaud the desire to help implicit in being a blood donor, but motivation becomes suspect when the donor is prepared to ignore a potential risk to the recipient.
M. Cooper
March 4th, 2009 at 9:22 am
We also have a debate on this issue in France where some activists complain about “discrimination” towards gays. This raises the question whether blood giving is a right. As a health professional I do not think so. Patient’s safety considerations must prevail.
I may no longer give blood since 1987 due HBV antibodies that were actually known long before. I do not consider myself especially at risk of transmitting a disease but I accept the rules and I easily find other ways to help those who need it.
Paul Preziosi
March 5th, 2009 at 12:52 am
Leicester.
11th March 2009.
HOMOSEXUAL ON DONATING BLOOD.
my opinion: yes it is ok with normal precaution : hepatitis B, & c screen + HIV. = check for seroconversion in 6 weeks to 3 months. Detailed history, MULTIPLE PARTNERS. PUBLIC HEALTH PRECAUTIONS.
DR.LODHIA MRCGP
bhanu.lodhia@hotmail.co.uk
DR.B.R.LODHHIA, MRCGP
March 12th, 2009 at 12:17 am
I always get frustrated when this issue comes up. The primary fear referred to here is HIV. The bigger threat is the next blood borne pathogen that will follow the same routes of transmission (MSM and IDUs), and if this pathogen does not manifest disease immediately (much like Hep C rarely does), then by the time you know its there you have infected a range of blood recipients. That is what happened the first time, and if you allow in higher risk groups back into the system again, infection of blood recipients will happen again. All for the sake of political correctness.
jim kreppner
March 13th, 2009 at 8:25 pm