Last month, the American Medical Association (AMA) voted to oppose a longstanding ban by the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) on blood donation by gay and bisexual men.  The AMA stated that there was no scientific support to continue the ban, which had been in place since 1983 as a response to the initial AIDS outbreak.  The Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) has created an advisory committee that is continuing to evaluate the criteria for blood donation.

On July 12, a demonstration called the National Gay Blood Drive was staged to show the FDA that its policy was unsupported.  The National Gay Blood Drive involves gay and bisexual men going to blood donation centers after testing negative for HIV off-site.  After being rejected, volunteers will compile data, along with the HIV-negative test results, and send them to FDA to show them how much blood is not being donated.

When attempting to donate blood, individuals that are rejected are given a form that shows the specific policy preventing the person from donating blood.  Volunteers at the demonstration stamp the potential donor with the word “Rejected” on his forearm.  Across the U.S., there were 50 demonstrations as part o f the National Gay Blood Drive.  As HIV testing has improved, banning all gay and bisexual men from donating blood is being considered outdated and discriminatory.  One rejected blood donor plans to sue because he was rejected for “appearing” to be gay.

Other countries have utilized policies that separate gay and bisexual men into different categories of risk, instead of lumping them all into the same high-risk category.  China recently lifted a ban on lesbians donating blood.  While gay men are still generally banned from donating blood in China, celibate men are permitted to do so, creating more flexibility than the current policy of the FDA.

In June, there was a shortage in blood donations, with a decline of more than 10 percent across the nation.  There are as many 50,000 healthy men that would be willing to donate blood if the ban were to be lifted, but without a policy change, blood donation centers will be unable to accept these willing donors.  There are currently 40,000 pints of blood used each day in the U.S.  Donated blood expires in 42 days and platelets in just five days.  One of every seven people that enter a hospital will need blood donation and 95 percent of Americans will need blood or blood products by the age of 72.