News Release 
For Immediate Release: December 22, 2015
Contact: Diane Gramley 1.814.271.9078 or 1.814.437.5355
Homosexual Men Can Now Donate Blood – But Some Activists Want More
(Harrisburg) — The FDA has announced they will lift the lifetime ban on men who have sex with men (MSM) from donating blood. The announcement has one stipulation — the donor must not have had sexual contact with another man for twelve months prior to making a blood donation. Some liberal lawmakers and homosexual activist groups have declared this decision does not go far enough and is still discriminatory against “gay” men. The American Family Association of Pennsylvania (AFA of PA), a statewide group that advocates for the natural family, questions the wisdom of such a decision and notes the true nature of those activists wanting a total lifting of the ban.
“The entire US blood supply is being placed in danger because of this decision by the FDA to lift the ban on donations from men who have sex with men. The CDC acknowledges that one in eight who are living with HIV don’t even know it. Why would the FDA open the door for blood donations from a group that accounts for 54% of all people living with HIV? Another question that needs to be asked is how much of this donated blood will be rejected because of other diseases that may be present? The syphilis epidemic among homosexual men immediately comes to mind. Is this simply a politically correct move to appease a certain segment of the population?” commented Diane Gramley, president of the AFA of PA.
CDC estimates that 1,218,400 persons aged 13 years and older living in the US are living with HIV infection, including 156,300 (12.8%) who are unaware of their infection
The CDC acknowledges that ” sexually active gay, bisexual and other men who have sex with men (MSM) are at greater risk” of acquiring a sexually transmitted disease.
Pertaining to syphilis, the CDC notes: ” Between 2013 and 2014, the number of reported primary and secondary (P&S) cases increased by 15%. Most cases are among MSM. In 2014, 83% of the reported male P&S syphilis cases where sex of sex partner was known were among gay, bisexual, and other men who have sex with men.”
The CDC also acknowledges that when looking at HIV transmission risks, blood transfusions carry a much higher risk of transmission than other exposures — 9,250 per 10,000 exposures.
“It is very revealing when an organization such as the Human Rights Campaign and liberal legislators such as Tammy Baldwin and Barbara Lee say the FDA decision with the twelve month abstinence requirement doesn’t go far enough because it unfairly targets one group. When one group, such as men who have sex with men, has such high risk factors extra precautions need to be taken in order to protect the nation’s blood supply. Any organization or individual who downplays the need for caution exposes their agenda and ignores the fact that even the CDC acknowledges — allowing men who have sex with men to donate blood exposes Americans in need of blood transfusions to greater danger,” Gramley concluded.
Part of the FDA changes will include asking on the donor history questionnaires for transgenders to self-identify and self-report for the purpose of blood donations. Do we see a lawsuit claiming discrimination in the making??
# # #
Loading ...