Just when you think PC can't get any more idiotic.... (generation, legal)

[doc1]

SJSU suspends blood drives, citing FDA ban on donations by gay menBy Dana Hull and Leslie Griffy
Mercury News

In a controversial move believed to be a first by an American college, San Jose State University President Don Kassing has suspended all campus blood drives because of a longstanding government policy that bars gay men from donating blood.

The policy by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration "affecting gay men violates our non-discrimination policy," Kassing said in a lengthy e-mail sent to faculty, staff and students earlier this week.

The entire article:

http://www.contracostatimes.com/news/ci_8130911

[NewToCA]

Please check your link, it doesn't appear to be working correctly.

[doc1]

Originally Posted by NewToCA

Please check your link, it doesn't appear to be working correctly.

Checked and double-checked. When I click it it brings up the article to the far right of the page.

[Lindsey_Mcfarren]

Doesn't work for me either.

[doc1]

I found a different link in google. Third time's a charm?

http://www.contracostatimes.com/news/ci_8130911

And if it doesn't work, here's the damn article:

SJSU suspends blood drives, citing FDA ban on donations by gay men
By Dana Hull
Mercury News
Article Launched: 01/31/2008 12:47:41 PM PST


Related documents:
Letter from SJSU President Don Kassing
Statement from Stanford Blood Center (PDF)
Have your say!
Vote and comment:
Do you agree with the SJSU suspension of campus blood drives?
In a move believed to be the first by a college campus in the nation, San Jose State University President Don Kassing has suspended all campus blood drives because the U.S. Food and Drug Administration bars any man who has had sex with another man from donating blood.
"The FDA's lifetime blood donor deferral affecting gay men violates our non-discrimination policy," said Kassing in an e-mail sent to faculty, staff and students.

The suspension, which is effective immediately, applies to blood drives arranged by employees representing the university as well as blood drives organized by student groups.

The FDA's ban on blood donations by gay men has been in effect for years. The FDA says gay men are far more likely to be infected with HIV than the general population, and the agency has a duty to protect the nation's blood supply.

But the policy has been under intense debate, and a new generation of openly gay high school and college students is questioning and protesting what they say is a discriminatory policy.

Last year, the issue arose locally when the student body president at Harbor High School in Santa Cruz was turned away from donating blood because he is gay.

The fact that gay men are prohibited from donating blood - regardless of their sexual activity, safe-sex practices or HIV status - has rankled the gay community for years. The American Red Cross and other national organizations that regularly run blood drives are also pushing MOD CUT

[Frank_Carbonni]

I think it is a fair policy to bar sexually active gays from donating blood because of the far higher risk for catching HIV from anal sex. There is nothing wrong with being gay (legally or morally), but there is a far higher risk in contracting HIV and it adds an extra burden on blood banks.

The current policy should be revised and loosen restrictions on gays who have been tested within the past 12 months (they test for HIV there), but I don't think it is wrong to not include high risk groups.

[denverian]

I don't know - I had gay friends 15 years ago in college who regularly donated blood. They just didn't tell them they were gay. And they test the blood for HIV anyway. I don't know what good the "ban" actually does.

Personally I hate having blood taken, so I don't donate. I am gay, but have been in a monogamous relationship for 13 years, very healthy, so my blood would be good for donation. I guess I just don't care either way because I don't view donating blood as some "priviledge" or something I'm being kept from that I'd enjoy doing.