FDA Blood Donation Rule

It was already said that there are almost 50,000 new HIV/AIDS cases annually. So, let’s look at the 2009 data used in the Food and Drug Administration’s (FDA’s) 2010 decision.

Blacks and Latinos accounted for a disproportionate share of HIV infections relative to their population. While Blacks are 14% of the population they represented 44% of the total cases. Latinos are 16% of the population and represented 20% of the cases. Whites were 33.1%, Multiple Races 1.2%, Asian 1.1%, American/Alaskan Native 0.5% and Native Hawaiian/Other Pacific Islander 0.08%. Based on the CDC’s most recent estimates, more than 290,000 women are living with HIV/AIDS in the US (Blacks accounted for 64% of new AIDS diagnoses, Latinas 18% and White 15%). It was also found that most teens and young adults under the age of 30 (13-29 year olds) were infected sexually and accounted for 39% of new HIV infections (Black between 13-19 represented 68% of AIDS diagnoses, Latino 21% and White/other 11%).

The CDC said Gay, Bisexual, and Other Men Who Have Sex with Men (MSM) accounted for 61% of new HIV infections: Whites of all ages accounted for 37.9%, Blacks 35.9% of which the 13-29 year olds we 60.2% of Blacks or 21.7% of the total MSM cases and Latinos/others were 26.1%.

Women represented a larger share of new infections compared to earlier years; HIV incidences increased gradually until the late 1980s, they declined during the early 1990s, and have remained relatively stable since. Heterosexual contacts were 27% with women accounting for 23% (Blacks accounted for 57%) leaving 4% males. 

Drug Users were 9% and MSM Drug Users were 3% of all new HIV infections.

CNNHealth on June 14, 2010 reported - The Federal Advisory Committee on Blood Safety and Availability (makes recommendations to the US Food and Drug Administration) voted 9 to 6 against lifting the ban on the policy that prevents gay men from donating blood in the US, provoking disappointment and anger from gay activist groups.

Current FDA rules dictate that any man who has had sex with another man since 1977, even once, cannot donate blood. This rule has been in place since the early 1980s, when there were no tests in existence for identifying HIV-positive blood. Concerns about HIV tainting the blood supply prompted this policy, viewed as a safety measure. Although the committee recommended keeping this policy, the group also called the rule "suboptimal" and suggested using criteria based on individual behavior instead of broad characteristics, such as men who have had sex with other men. A report from the Williams Institute for Sexual Orientation Law and Public Policy at the University of California, Los Angeles School of Law found that about 219,000 more pints of blood could be available each year if the FDA lifted the ban. Rea Carey, executive director of the National Gay and Lesbian Task Force said in its response to the decision - "The committee's decision today not only leaves a discriminatory practice in place, it also puts lives at risk". The American Red Cross also expressed disappointment about the decision, stating that "while the Red Cross is obligated by law to follow the guidelines set forth by the FDA, we also strongly support the use of rational, scientifically-based deferral periods that are applied fairly and consistently among donors who engage in similar risk activities."

The decision to ban MSM donations was made 30 years ago; the above information is 2 years old. Because we can’t discriminate based on race (Blacks and Latinos had a higher percentage of cases than population) I guess they needed another method and so they picked on MSMs.

According to the May 15 Voice of America website the Antiviral Drugs Advisory Committee endorsed a pill (Truvada manufactured by Gilead needs to be taken daily) that prevents HIV in healthy people and the FDA is expected to decide on the issue by June 15. Some doctors say Truvada is a step toward ending the threat from AIDS but some critics say the drug could give people a false sense of security and make them less likely to use condoms which are a more cost-effective method of prevention since Truvada currently sells for about $14,000 a year (it would cost several hundred dollars a year) in developing countries. On May 16 a panel of HIV specialists recommended an over-the-counter (OTC) HIV test. The pill sounded like it was a good idea but now that I hear the cost and there may be an OTC test, I think boys and men just need to wear condoms or take the test before having sex (perhaps there should be laws requiring such in order to save the government $27 billion a year).

I don’t think that all MSMs should be banned from giving blood – we have condoms and OTC tests to protect against the disease and we have tests for identifying HIV-positive blood – let’s go with the test results instead of discrimination and save more lives via increased blood donations.