Gay Lawmaker, COVID Survivor Denied From Donating Plasma Because Of His Sexuality
COVID survivor Representative Shevrin Jones (D-West Park) tried to give blood recently but was turned away due to his sexuality.
Jones, who is openly gay, told ‘CBS12 News’ he answered screening questions honestly, identifying himself as a homosexual male who has had sexual contact within the last three months.
He then learned that he was disqualified from giving blood to OneBlood, under federal guidelines.
“I was under the impression that these rules had become lax, considering the time we are in, and the amount of plasma we need,” said Rep. Jones.
Susan Forbes, a spokesperson for OneBlood, explained that this this is an FDA rule, not a OneBlood specific policy.
“All blood centers are required to follow the rules and regulations handed down by the Food and Drug Administration,” Forbes said. “We as an industry have worked in different capacities with different studies to see if changes can be made to that policy.”
The rules against gay men donating blood and plasma go back to 1985, when the FDA issued an order barring men who had sex with other men.
It was meant to reduce the transmission of HIV/AIDS.
In 2015, the FDA relaxed its rule, and allowed gay men to donate blood as long as they were abstinent for an entire year leading up to the donation.
The FDA announced that the previous 12-month rule, which allowed gay men to donate blood as long as they were abstinent for an entire year leading up to the donation, would be changed to 3 months, because of the pandemic and the urgent need for blood and plasma.
Read related myGwork articles here:
U.S.A. Democratic Representatives Introduce New Resolution To End Blood Ban For Queer Men
Hungary Drops Ban On Gay And Bi Men Donating Blood
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