Lift ban on gay blood donors, researcher says

[I AM NOT THAT GUY 5,715]

A blanket ban on blood donation by gay men is unjustified and untenable, one of the world’s leading AIDS researchers says.

Mark Wainberg, head of the McGill University AIDS Centre, said the prohibition, which has been in place since 1983, needs to be refined to reflect scientific evidence.

Practically, that would mean deferring blood donations by those with multiple sex partners, whether they are homosexual or heterosexual.

That would mean allowing blood donations from gay men in a stable, monogamous relationship, Dr. Wainberg said in an article published in Wednesday’s edition of the Canadian Medical Association Journal.

http://www.theglobeandmail.com/life/health/lift-ban-on-gay-blood-donors-researcher-says/article1580753/

[Usui Takumi 1,562]

A blanket ban on blood donation by gay men is unjustified and untenable, one of the world’s leading AIDS researchers says.

Mark Wainberg, head of the McGill University AIDS Centre, said the prohibition, which has been in place since 1983, needs to be refined to reflect scientific evidence.

Practically, that would mean deferring blood donations by those with multiple sex partners, whether they are homosexual or heterosexual.

That would mean allowing blood donations from gay men in a stable, monogamous relationship, Dr. Wainberg said in an article published in Wednesday’s edition of the Canadian Medical Association Journal.

http://www.theglobeandmail.com/life/health/lift-ban-on-gay-blood-donors-researcher-says/article1580753/

They screen all blood samples right?

[I AM NOT THAT GUY 5,715]

They screen all blood samples right?

Yes, but the tests cannot detect an exposure to the virus within the last 12 months. Monogamy seems to be the critical requirement for a donor in this report.

[sandinista! 1,816]

Yes, but the tests cannot detect an exposure to the virus within the last 12 months. Monogamy seems to be the critical requirement for a donor in this report.

Lord help anyone who has received a blood donation if that were true! 12 months, is that a typo?

Since 2001, donated blood in the United States has been screened with nucleic-acid-based tests, shortening the window period between infection and detectability of disease to about 12 days. Since these tests are relatively expensive, the blood is screened by first pooling some 8-24 samples and testing these together; if the pool tests positive, each sample is retested individually. A different version of this test is intended for use in conjunction with clinical presentation and other laboratory markers of disease progress for the management of HIV-1-infected patients.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/HIV_test#Nucleic_acid_based_tests_.28NAT.29

[I AM NOT THAT GUY 5,715]

[citation needed].

That would be nice if indeed true. The information I was given deals with antigen testing, and that information is several years old.

The Red Cross has specifically asked that people not use blood

donation as a way of finding out if they are HIV+. If you think you

might be infected, go get a blood test. Many cities offer free

anonymous HIV testing. Contact your local public health service office

for details.

This is particularly important if you think you might have been

infected within the last six months, since there's the risk that you

are indeed infected, but do not yet have antibodies to HIV.

Edited May 26, 2010 by ##########

[I AM NOT THAT GUY 5,715]

Tests to detect

the virus itself

The first assays capable of

detecting free circulating HIV

particles were the HIV p24

antigen ELISAs. Since the levels

of virus particles and those of

the antibodies to p24 fluctuate

according to the stage of

infection, however, the usefulness

of this test is limited (see

Key Materials, Bush & Alter).

New technologies based on the

amplification of viral nucleic

acids, such as PCR and NASBA,

or the amplification of the probe

binding signal as in branched-

DNA tests, have made it possible

to detect minute amounts of

viral material. These sensitive

procedures are well-suited to

early diagnosis of mother-tochild

transmission and to

monitoring the viral load of

patients who are taking

antiretroviral therapy. However,

the tests are very expensive

(US$ 60100), need complex

equipment, rigorous laboratory

conditions and highly trained

staff, and are still largely a

research tool. Many of these

tests need further refinement

since not all HIV-1 subtypes are

equally well detected, nor is HIV-2.

http://data.unaids.org/publications/IRC-pub04/testmtu_en.pdf

[Danno 1,228]

And what about Prostitutes.... don't they have a right to donate?

Let safety and science decide this and not some consideration for the soft feelings of gay men.

Facts are Homosexuals, 5% of the population still (after all the billions spent) represent the lions share of cases for obvious reasons.

Edited May 26, 2010 by Danno

[HannahP 119]

Meh. I do a LOT of HIV ELISA testing and the standard window of false negatives is 0-3 mos, at least in my experience. I believe that pool testing is the most reliable method for early detection but it's a bit more expensive so your gubberment grants won't cover it. Of course, there are people who don't develop HIV antibodies for years after being exposed...

Our biggest flag is def. multiple sex partners, next being IV drug use, and third being homosexuality. What darling Danno probably doesn't realize is that HIV tends to transmit more easily between male-male (NOT lesbians but he probably thinks that is hot or whatever) contact because of the higher risk of tears. This is why men, at least in Western countries, have higher incidences of HIV than women. Of course, this means nothing to the rest of the world, where heterosexual spread of HIV is the norm.

[Danno 1,228]

Meh. I do a LOT of HIV ELISA testing and the standard window of false negatives is 0-3 mos, at least in my experience. I believe that pool testing is the most reliable method for early detection but it's a bit more expensive so your gubberment grants won't cover it. Of course, there are people who don't develop HIV antibodies for years after being exposed...

Our biggest flag is def. multiple sex partners, next being IV drug use, and third being homosexuality. What darling Danno probably doesn't realize is that HIV tends to transmit more easily between male-male (NOT lesbians but he probably thinks that is hot or whatever) contact because of the higher risk of tears. This is why men, at least in Western countries, have higher incidences of HIV than women. Of course, this means nothing to the rest of the world, where heterosexual spread of HIV is the norm.

HannahP where have you been hiding at?

Do you actually think people don't understand the "mechanics" of gay sex... and why gay Men get it way more than Gay women?

Is there anything in my post that you misunderstood to believe that I didn't know that?

You mentioned Heterosexual spread as the norm in the rest of the world, perhaps you do have some new information for me, I thought this was unique to the African region and in most other places it still lingers around the big 3

-sex workers

-Gay men

-Peeps who share needles.

[HannahP 119]

I've been donating my time giving HIV tests, working at soup kitchens and free clinics, and possibly being Mother Theresa. Duh!

It just strikes me as odd because you've obviously very homophobic but it seems to only apply to male-male homosexuality(?)

I apologize. By "most other regions" I should mention that I've not included most Western countries. So that kind of narrows it down to Africa, where most HIV/AIDS cases are, and Asia, where MSM contact is at least in that top three that you mention and probably moreso than reported because of cultural concerns regarding our Western view of homosexuality. But also spreads to the wives and girlfriends of men who participate in MSM or heterosexual encounters. This tends to cover places like Haiti, etc., (and Africa) where it is culturally acceptable for men to have many sexual partners outside of marriage.

Edited May 26, 2010 by HannahP

[I AM NOT THAT GUY 5,715]

I am too lazy to do the stats right now, but I wonder how Hepatitis relates to HIV in numbers. It seems I have lost more acquaintances to Hepatitis than I have to HIV. There are a lot of HIV positive folks in the area, and they seem to be surviving as opposed to those who have contacted Hepatitis, the forgotten killer among the IV drug users, and those practicing casual sex.

[I AM NOT THAT GUY 5,715]

In the U.S., incidence of acute HAV and HBV in 2006 was the lowest ever recorded due to the availability of safe and effective vaccines. But there is no vaccine for HCV, and chronic HBV and HCV account for more than 50% of new cases of chronic liver disease, a leading cause of death. Approximately 4.5 million people are estimated to be living with HBV and HCV infection, and of that number, approximately 50% are unaware of their status.

http://www.cdc.gov/hepatitis/

[I AM NOT THAT GUY 5,715]

At the end of 2007, the estimated number of persons living with AIDS in the United States and dependent areas was 468,578. In the 50 states and the District of Columbia, this included 454,747 adults and adolescents, and 889 children under age 13 years.

http://www.cdc.gov/hiv/topics/surveillance/basic.htm#hivaidscases

Well, that would explain it then! There are 10 Hepatitis cases for every HIV/AIDS case. Now I can move on.

[Danno 1,228]

I've been donating my time giving HIV tests, working at soup kitchens and free clinics, and possibly being Mother Theresa. Duh!

It just strikes me as odd because you've obviously very homophobic but it seems to only apply to male-male homosexuality(?)

I apologize. By "most other regions" I should mention that I've not included most Western countries. So that kind of narrows it down to Africa, where most HIV/AIDS cases are, and Asia, where MSM contact is at least in that top three that you mention and probably moreso than reported because of cultural concerns regarding our Western view of homosexuality. But also spreads to the wives and girlfriends of men who participate in MSM or heterosexual encounters. This tends to cover places like Haiti, etc., (and Africa) where it is culturally acceptable for men to have many sexual partners outside of marriage.

Saint HannahP we appreciate all that you do but when it comes to facts..... you seem to be a little shy.

Calling me Homophobic doesn't cover for your bad info when you suggest -"outside the western world, Heterosexuals commonly are infected."

Now you absurdly suggest the world is made up of....the "western world" and Africa.

Not sure why you are coming at me I think my position on this matter is reasonable; If the blood can be safely tested why not include gay men all high risk groups for that matter?

[GabiandVi 34]

I'm not supposed to donate blood either because I sleep with an African.