US Blood Donations

Like others that watched the May 13, 2012 episode of Harry’s Law I was concerned when I heard that Gay men are not allowed to donate blood so I had to check things out. I’m going to start at the beginning to explain the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) rule that has been in place since the early 1980s, the peak of the HIV/AIDS epidemic.

The US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) published HIV statistics for 40 states and 5 dependent areas with confidential name-based HIV infection reporting. AIDS statistics include all 50 states and the District of Columbia, as well as the 5 dependent areas. The 2009 data showed the highest percentage of new HIV diagnoses were among those aged 40-44 years and Blacks accounted for half; of new AIDS diagnoses Blacks accounted for just under half. The rest of the information on their site didn’t add up so I went to the Kaiser Family Foundation site of February 2012. Here I found out that the first cases of AIDS reported in the US were in June of 1981; approximately 1.2 million are estimated to be living with the disease today. While the number of new HIV cases is down from its peak in the 1980s, estimates indicate that there have been almost 50,000 new cases annually in recent years.

Ten states account for 71% of AIDS diagnoses reported since the beginning of the epidemic; 9 of the states ranked in the top 10 for new diagnoses and the South accounted for 45% of new AIDS diagnoses and has the greatest number of people estimated to be living with AIDS, followed by the Northeast, West, and Midwest. Diagnosis rates per 100,000 provide a different measure of the epidemic’s impact, since they reflect the concentration of diagnoses after accounting for differences in population size across states; using this method the District of Columbia has the highest AIDS diagnosis rate in the nation; 7 of the top 10 states are in the South and by region the Northeast (14.8) came in first followed by the South (13.9), West (8.2), and Midwest (6.6). AIDS diagnoses are concentrated primarily in large metropolitan areas (more than 80%). A recent analysis of data from 24 cities with high AIDS prevalence found that 2% of heterosexuals were infected with HIV and prevalence was higher among those with less education and lower incomes, and among the unemployed. Prenatal HIV transmission has declined significantly largely due to Antiretroviral drugs which can prevent mother-to-child transmission.

Rapid testing is now much more widely available and routine testing is now recommended for all people ages 13–64, yet 20% of those infected don’t know it and many people with HIV (33%) are diagnosed late in their illness. Not all who need treatment have access to it and treatment is not a cure.

The US Government in FY 2011 spent $27.1 billion to combat HIV; of this, 52% is for care, 10% each for research and cash and housing assistance, 3% for prevention, and 24% for the international epidemic. Key programs that provide health insurance coverage, care, and support to people with HIV include Medicaid, Medicare, the Ryan White Program, and HOPWA (the Housing Opportunities for Persons with HIV/AIDS Program). Social Security’s income programs for those who are disabled (SSI and SSDI) are also important sources of support. A variety of federally and state-supported prevention services are provided by state and local health departments and community organizations. In July 2010, the US Government released the National HIV/AIDS Strategy, the first comprehensive plan for addressing the epidemic in the US. The strategy has 3 primary goals: reduce new HIV infections; increase access to care and improve health outcomes; and reduce HIV-related health disparities.

Tomorrow I’ll give you the 2009 data that was used in the June 2010 FDA decision against lifting the ban on the policy that prevents Gay men from donating blood in the US.