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[PdotMichael]

WTF? Is this a general thing? Is there a real valid reason for this? I don't think we have this rule in my country

Because they are forming the largest risk group for HIV infections.

So homosexual men are normally excluded from donating blood like other risk groups.

Belgium.

I read the commentd explaining this above. Wouldnt the blood be tested anyway? I dont get it

There is a quite a long time gap between infection and actually be able to be visible on HIV tests.

 

[metalslimer]

Belgium.

I read the commentd explaining this above. Wouldnt the blood be tested anyway? I dont get it

It's tested but there is a few week period where the tests wouldn't detect a new HIV infection

 

[ClayKavalier]

Don't look as the pull out the needle, I look away as they're about getting ready. Works well enough.

It’s the needle being in me that freaks me out. I always imagine the tip ripping up the inside of my vein if I move the wrong way. Or they’ll accidently take too much blood. I also HATE the feeling of blood being drawn, I immediately get light-headed.

 

[somecrazymember]

It's tested but there is a few week period where the tests wouldn't detect a new HIV infection

Oh..ok that makes sense i guess.. hmm

 

[PdotMichael]

Oh..ok that makes sense i guess.. hmm

It's important to realize that donating blood is not a right but reducing the risk for the receiver of donated blood should be reduced at all cost.

 

[Zertez]

In fact there are even blanket bans being given to those whp have Crohns disease or multiple scleroris as well.

I have CD and they won't take my blood. Understandable though with the drugs in my system and being anemic doesn't help either.

 

[SamVimes]

I already do, the only annoying thing is that where I donate it takes like 4 hours of waiting.

Signing up to be a blood marrow donor too, as soon as I can figure out the logistics of where I can get "tested".

 

[somecrazymember]

It's important to realize that donating blood is not a right but reducing the risk for the receiver of donated blood should be reduced at all cost.

I understand. I just had no clue about the stats being so high tbh
Thanks for answering

 

[PersonAndStuff]

How do they know you're gay? Can't you just not mention it on their form?

Part of the questionaire asks if you've had sex with another man in the past twelve months. I'd be interested in seeing the statistics and testing regimens to see if they're just being overly cautious. That said, if your love life isn't going so great in the last year, they'll be happy to take your blood.

 

[Alavard]

I'm Bisexual *and* I have type-1 diabetes, so no donating for me.

 

[Paganmoon]

All blood is heavily tested regardless of whether or not you are gay or not.

new infections might not get detected in tests early on, which is why there are exemption periods. A few examples of exemptions in Sweden, in addition to those mentioned in my above post:

Recently gotten a tattoo: 6 months from the day you got the tattoo
Recently had sex with a new partner (straight relationship): 4 months.
Had sex with a person of the same sex (men only): 6 months, this is any partner if I've understood the rules correctly, even a long time partner.
Had an open cut, where you've drawn blood (any injury where you cut yourself): up to 6 months
Spent time in close proximity (lived together with) a person with Hepatitis: 6 months iirc.

And so on. As mentioned by Madness, this might seem a bit over the top, but it is for the safety of the one receiving blood.

How do they know you're gay? Can't you just not mention it on their form?

Don't do this, be completely honest on the form, it's there for a reason. Remember, this is done for the people receiving the blood, not for people's own self esteem and getting pat on your back. It's not a right to donate blood.

 

[somecrazymember]

Part of the questionaire asks if you've had sex with another man in the past twelve months. I'd be interested in seeing the statistics and testing regimens to see if they're just being overly cautious. That said, if your love life isn't going so great in the last year, they'll be happy to take your blood.

Gaf should definitely donate then lol

 

[curiouscharles]

I lived in the U.K. for two years in the last decade so apparently the Canadian government thinks my blood is unsafe.

(I'm also pretty much always within six months of having gotten a new tattoo as well so...).

Honestly I'm surprised anyone in Canada can give blood considering some of the requirements...

 

[SkeptiMism]

Yep O negative (meaning my blood is fit for everyone) so I try to do it every 2 months (which is the limit at least here).

In between that time I try to do hemapheresis, in which they extract platelets from my blood (which goes mainly to cancer patients). That one takes a bit over an hour so it's quite a bit longer. I could do it every 2 weeks but it basically takes the whole evening so I prefer to alternate between that and normal blood donation (though in a way it feels kinda shitty knowing I could do more, but that's life).

How do they know you're gay? Can't you just not mention it on their form?

They just ask. You can lie of course, but you should be honest. There's a reason they ask those questions even if they might seem pretty shitty to an individual.

 

[Gallbaro]

I really do not like how you can't sell your blood for money, but the companies you are donating to turn around and selling your blood.

 

[Apple Turnover]

O+, did my 9th donation the other week. As long as they'll take my blood, happy to keep giving it.

An hour or so and some minor discomfort is a very small price to pay to potentially help save a life

 

[Linkura]

I don't weigh enough. Never have. Otherwise I would.

 

[Reversed]

Last time I donated I almost fainted and told me not to do it again. Geez.

 

[curiouscharles]

I really do not like how you can't sell your blood for money, but the companies you are donating to turn around and selling your blood.

I can't donate anyway, but I totally agree people should be paid for their blood.

 

[Jaymageck]

Tried to, but because I was born in the UK in a certain time period and live in Canada, I legally can't. Same goes for anyone who lived in the UK for more than a few months between 1980 and 1996 actually.

 

[frontovik]

TIL homosexuals aren't allowed to donate blood.

 

[sofa]

I do it. I honestly do it to get checked every now and then. I wouldn't bother to get a blood check by myself so it's a way to force me to do it regularly.

 

[Zen Aku]

I did mine last month and again about a couple days ago. I highly encourage people to go. If you want a little incentive. Most places do give you a gift card or a movie ticket for your help. Plus you get a free blood and health check-up

 

[Susurrus]

I should probs do so. In 5 months I'll have been in Europe too long for the US orgs to take my blood (5 years is the cut off), including on US bases in...Europe. You dirty Europeans with your mad cow or something (I think?).

 

[Krappadizzle]

Wife and I went to donate blood yesterday that they were supposedly sending to Vegas. She'd never done it before while I have given many gallons over the years. She did well and I think we're gonna do it regularly now. Easy way to do a good thing and only costs just a little bit of your time.

 

[Xe4]

I try to donate to the Red Cross as much as possible. I donated once to UBS, but they harassed me with phone calls even after telling them not to several times and at the drive. Never donating there again, which is a shame. They're always the ones that show up to campuses.

TIL homosexuals aren't allowed to donate blood.

They're allowed to donate, but not within 12 months of having sex with another man. It should be dropped to 6 as soon as it's shown there are no cases that slip through the window period, IMO. 12 is overly strict right now as far as the accuracy of tests goes.

 

[Pai Pai Master]

How do they know you're gay? Can't you just not mention it on their form?

I generally don't go out of my way to do things that require me to hide who I am. Even if some disagree with the restriction, it's still kind of a shitty thing to lie about it.

They ask you if you've had sex with another man in the last 12 months or so. I did donate when I was in a monogamous heterosexual relationship, but let's just say I'm not too eligible these days lol

 

[Muskieratboi]

Can't. I like dicks, and also have borderline thalassemia. Would otherwise, though.

 

[Queen Vulpix]

Hope to one day even though I hate needles but can't currently due to one of the medications I'm on. I'm bisexual but I haven't any relationships/sex with another woman so I assume that doesn't disqualify me there but the rule is so stupid in general. Broke my heart seeing all the people wanting to donate after the Pulse tragedy and were denied because they weren't straight =/

 

[Lucreto]

I was always afraid to do it but my dad has been doing it for nearly 40 years.

It will be my New Years Resolution at the blood transfusion service won't be around until next year.

 

[Cyframe]

If it wasn't for Reagan's inaction with the hiv and aids epidemic we could have had comprehensive reform and discussions around gay men donating blood. Instead of us being seen as walking viruses. I'm gay and haven't had sex for a year, but, I wouldn't donate due to principle.

 

[MC Safety]

I really do not like how you can't sell your blood for money, but the companies you are donating to turn around and selling your blood.

The blood is screened and processed. It's not just from your arm to someone else's.

 

[Jawmuncher]

I can’t I once lived in Britain. Shame because I’m a universal donor.

Same. It’s hella dumb.

 

[eot]

I don't even know my blood type tbh

 

[SargerusBR]

I'm AB+ which is basically the most useless blood type for donation so...

 

[Plywood]

I donate plasma.

 

[NoblesseOblige]

Needles are scary though.

Says you.

I think they're arousing.

 

[Fevaweva]

I can't because I had a blood transfusion before/after some date or another. I wish I could though.

 

[Massive Duck. C.M.]

I’m a big bastard with O, no problem.

 

[PersonAndStuff]

I don't even know my blood type tbh

If you donate, they'll tell you.

I'm AB+ which is basically the most useless blood type for donation so...

You actually have the most useful plasma(which is part of a platelet donation). So...

 

[ElBoxyBrown]

Needles are scary though.

Look away and think about something else when it happens. It's no worse than a pinch.

 

[Prax]

I have delicious O negative blood but alas, I am anemic.

 

[DarthWoo]

I try to go when I can, but there's only one nearby location that I can really go to, and they only hold one there every couple months. I have borderline HBP, not quite enough to medicate, but high enough that it can just barely put me over the maximum limit for BP if I had a bad day at work that day. If I get deferred, I don't try again until they have it at that location. There is a donation center in a nearby town that is open nearly every day, but driving there is a bit scary and would likely just raise my BP by itself.

 

[mavo]

I donate plasma since i was lucky enough to be born AB+.

 

[johancruijff]

4 X Year

it's sorely needed

+

you got your blood checked regularly and you don't have to go to work

It's like that in the US too. Are there any countries where this is not the case?

surprisingly, in Italy is allowed

 

[Murkas]

I do, A+ which I think is the most common of all blood types. What does that make me if I was in a JRPG?

Got upgraded to a proper card few years back, they give you some crappy paper card until you achieve a certain number of donations, then it's a different coloured card once you keep reaching certain thresholds.

 

[Fox Mulder]

Can't because of mad cow disease.

 

[Irobot82]

I have mad cow disease so I can't. Well, to be more accurate, I live in a country that had that risk in a certain time period so I am blacklisted.

Also, doesn't the Red Cross suck? Don't they profit off selling said blood?

 

[Peltz]

Same here. Canada's policy on this is fucked up.

What the fuck? That is messed up on so many levels. Especially to those who need blood.

 

[Flux]

O negative, pretty much good for twice a year.