From time to time, we feature comments from our members on articles we publish on our blog if we think their opinion or feedback is worth highlighting for others to read as well.
In April we publish a blog post here by another nurse regarding a review that the Red Cross is doing on a ban against gay men donating blood. This article received quite a number of comments from our members.
Here’s one from Bory_88 we’d like to highlight. Bory_88 is a nurse at the Clarence Street Blood Bank Mobile Unit
Okay, I’m going to wade into this. I am currently a Nurse with the Large Mobile Unit of the Clarence Street Blood Bank.
I’m going to put a facts out here that a lot in general seem to be missing.
We ask One question, which has just been change:
Have you had Male to Male Sex, Oral or Anal, with or without a condom, in the last 12 months.
That’s it. I’ve deferred people for it many times, never once did anyone have go at me or cause a scene.
We also defer you for six months for many lifestyle choices, such as:
- Intercourse with a sex worker in the last 12 months,
- being a sex worker in the same time frame,
- intercourse with a person who lived in a HIV n the last 10 years, male or female, with or without a condom,
- injecting drugs not prescribed by a Medical practitioner
- A Tattoo within the last 6 Months (Used to be 12, changed this week to 6)
then ones not related to life choices,
- If you suspect your parter has done any of the above
- Treatment with clotting factors VIII or XI
- Being in prison for more the 72 hours
But that is a mere fraction of what we deffer for. Anyone who lived in the UK from 1980-1996 is permanently deferred. If you’ve had a stroke or heart attack, if your epileptic, all permanent deferrals.
And my final point. A warning to any who intends on lying on this document. The Human Tissue Act (NSW) states, you could face penalties of between a $5,500 fine to 12 months in prison for lying on the form. It is a legal document.
I’m not taking sides, I’m just stating the facts. These policies go way above the heads of the nursing staff who do the interviews. Our guidelines need approval from the T.G.A.
Image courtesy of Australia Red Cross
Tags: blood donation questions, gay men blood donation, red cross blood donation
Hi, yeah I worked at the Qld Red Cross Blood Service around 9 years ago and the rules were pretty much the same (tattoos carried a 12 month deferral back then for example).
Just to put things into perspective for any other readers, it’s not a ban on being gay, it’s a ban on male to male sex in the past 12 months which statistically has higher rates of HIV transmission than some groups of people. Lesbians are not prevented from donating blood (in fact this doesn’t get asked, as female to female sex is not a high risk factor and is therefore not relevant to blood donation), and as discussed above, quite a few medical conditions, lifestyle factors and travelling habits prevent blood donation, either permanently or temporarily.
Hi, yeah I worked at the Qld Blood Service up until around 9 years ago and the rules were pretty much the same (tattoos carried a 12 month deferral back then though).
Just to put things into perspective for some readers, there’s no ban or discrimination on gay people donating, it’s a deferral of male to male sex for a designated period, as male to male sex carries a higher risk of HIV than some other groups of people. For example, lesbians are not prevented from donating blood, in fact this isn’t relevant to the donation process because female to female sex does not carry a high risk of HIV.
As is discussed above, there are many lifestyle factors, health issues and travel habits which prevent donation either permanently or temporarily which are based on medical and statistical information.
I hope this helps.
apologies for 2 replies, the first one didn’t show up for some reason!
I worked in a NSW Prison ( as a nurse ) for several months.
The guys ‘ doing time ‘ often do not see themselves as ‘ homosexual ‘ for having male to male sex. It’s a matter of power and control.
I was a little confused at first, when it seemed most inmates would ask for triple aperients every day. There was a very good reason for that !!
Second point, is my wife lived in the UK for a year for so, during the 1980 – 1996 period. She seems to have a ‘ life long ‘ ban on giving blood.
But our children do not. My wife’s mother was born in England, travelled and lived for much longer period of time during the 1980 – 1996 period….. yet she can give blood…… because she is a rare type. Oddly enough, she is so rare, that the Service apparently spends additional resources to somehow process my mother-in-law’s blood, so that it ( or any componant ) can be safely used.
Go figure !!
regards,