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Cases of COVID-19 infections around the world continue to rise. As per the latest situation report from the World Health Organization, there are now 823,626 confirmed cases of COVID-19 around the world. The number of dead is at 40,598.
In the United States, the numbers are also stark. According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), there are already 3,603 people dead from the coronavirus in the United States. The number of confirmed cases is at 186,101.
With such dire numbers, one would think that the American government will take any kind of help available. However, that doesn’t seem to be the case as gay men and people who have taken PrEP will be prevented from donating plasma rich with COVID-19 antibodies.
NBC News reports on a case in New York where 39-year-old Sabri Ben-Achour contracted and recovered from COVID-19. When he saw an advertisement for a convalescent plasma study — collecting plasma from recovered COVID-19 patients and injecting the antibodies found there into critically-ill patients — he participated right away.
However, a 2015 restriction has prevented him from donating his antibodies to those who may need it. According to this restriction, gay men can only donate blood if they have abstained from sex and PrEP for a year. This was actually a change from the previous lifetime ban that was started in 1983 to keep HIV out of the blood supply.
Ben-Achour asked if he would be allowed to donate blood if he stopped taking PrEP for a month, but he was refused. According to him, not taking PrEP for a year would then put him in danger.
Both the American Red Cross and Democratic senators have called on the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) to rethink this regulation as the coronavirus pandemic has driven down blood drives and caused an acute blood shortage, one that could prove disastrous as there is a pandemic going on.
Alexandra Ocasio-Cortez and Carolyn Maloney, both Democratic Representatives, have called on the FDA to revise this policy so that anyone who can safely donate blood can do so.
Adam4Adam blog readers, do you think now is the time for the government to rethink its policy with regards to gay men donating blood? Share your opinions with us in the comments below.
This is an interesting question. According to the CDC all donated blood is tested for Hepatitis B and C, HIV type 1 and 2. So why would is there a restriction on people who engage in same sex activities? It doesn’t make sense unless the unsaid truth is that all the blood isn’t being tested or thoroughly? It seems that heterosexuals’ donated blood have the same risk of carrying any of the tested blood borne diseases but they are not discriminated against. If the test are being done on donated blood then all that can donate should be allowed. The… Read more »
I’m still barred from donating blood/plasma here in Texas for this reason.
FDA has just released new guidelines…the waiting period for most at risk donors is now 3 months.
https://www.fda.gov/media/92490/download
When I recovered from COVID-19, I was concerned about telling anyone in case I “disappeared” and ended up used for research/treatment purposes against my will. Since they don’t want my blood, I can put that worry aside 🙂
I’m glad you recovered, Steven.
So all those so- called straight married men on the down low are allowed to donate? They get more ass than I do. Smh
Right On!
maybe we gays should stop being trash cunts with thousands of partners
And that, is the solid truth of behavior of which I’ve stayed aloof of, even mostly as a younger man. As I understand the younger set of the 20-early 30’s, but men my age 50’s, aimlessly sexing just for the “fun of it”, it’s lead to “53% of gay men in their 50’s being HIV+” I read in the gay-news circular here in Soflo., that’s outrageous, especially, that these are the documented ones known of… A lifestyle ‘still’ being popularized; it amazes me, how people can rationalize ill-behavior that’s just as harmful, lethal as a drug addiction, because they refuse… Read more »
Wow, Lamar. It looks like we agree on something. Fascinating.
It’s not so fascinating, it just happens to fit your ‘personal narrative’ of how you feel so adversely about homosexuality.
Once again, Lamar, you miss the mark with your confirmation bias. I must be one of your favorite people. I don’t feel adversely about homosexuality. Hell, I like it. I feel adversely about the behaviors of some homosexuals.
Oh, I’m sorry, I meant to say, how shamefully apologetic you feel about your homosexuality, I missed nothing. “I must be one of your favorite people,” in spite of yourself, you’re alright 😉 . As far as biasness is concerned, I’d be very careful with that, you’re not that “liberal”, you’ve proven that during discussions of where matters of “color” were spoken of. You’re either really tone-deaf, or, well, just downright racist. I cannot abide, that kind of conservatism, that clearly Reps tend to be in denial of, how could I? If, that makes me bias, so be it, but… Read more »
“Why would I, when you cared not enough for yourself?” How do you know what they did or did not do? One could use the same rationale and assume you are a (fill in the blank) because you are on Adam4Adam, or even gay, for that matter. I have friends who are HIV+ and did nothing to deserve it. Who am I, or anyone, to decide it’s their own fault for not caring for themselves? I’m not pushing religion but it’s the week of Easter-perhaps we should worry about our own planks and not be so judgemental of others. Don’t… Read more »
David, you think I didn’t have friends who passed because of HIV/Aids, really, I do know just how careless they were, doesn’t mean I don’t ‘still’ feel for them and it’s been decades. They heard of HIV the same damn time I did! I once contracted Gonorrhea, ok, so I learned right then and there, CONDOMS, CONDOMS, dammit, man, protect yourselves, nobodies gonna do it for you! This, is why it ‘still’ spreading, you must blame yourself, for your ‘own’ actions or non-actions. It’s alot like driving, you better judge, judge the possibilities. Reality, is cruel, so, be good to… Read more »
Now is not the time for the government to rethink it’s policy. That time was 5 years ago ! ! Marc made all of the import relevant points. This policy is simply the last federal place the uber conservative Republican congressmen can exert their homophobic fear against us.
This Ban against Homosexual Males donating blood is an artifact from the time-of-Aids.
Unfortunately, this acknowledgement has a long memory and memories die slowly. I, also, have had my share of denials and I was not allowed to donate blood until I was exonerated by the Military.
Even after all the years, I had already served, my status was questionable and open to scrutiny. Do not take undue offense, our continued reputation, still precedes us!
[…] PreviousHealth: Government Regulations Prevent Gay Men From Donating COVID-19 Antibodies […]
I say, “Screw Them”. If I could help? I’d be glad to. But, if they do-not want my “FAG-BLOOD”, Oh Well………………..
It’s NOT because we’re fags, it’s because of the carelessness in which too many of us display. Just for the hist., of it, you know there was a time African Amer., blood was not excepted; guess they thought they’d turn black or something, in spite of the fact of during slavery, they were raping the fuck out of African American women, go figure.
Stop whining! They just don’t want HIV in the blood supply. The typical current HIV RNA tests cannot detect below 15 viral copies/mL so it may slip in.
someone poz would not give blood though…
At least, 99% of the time; in the case of ‘Magic Johnson’ , it has happened, one has to believe, the donor was not aware…that is the past, let us hope you’re right, Dave.