Canadian Blood Services wants to allow gay men to donate

[roamingguy 300292]

http://www.cbc.ca/news/health/story/2013/01/12/calgary-blood-services-changes.html

[Frank7 3939]

That's just stupid. Gay should be allowed to give bloods just like anyone. There's tests done when someone is donating and as long as the blood is good, who cares about the owner's sexual orientation.

 

The 5 years step is little better, but still ridiculous. And how do they know the donator had sex with a guy anyway? Interrogation with a lie-detector?

[roamingguy 300292]

Well here is the questionnaire to see if you can donate blood

Look at questions 18, 25 and 26. All of us Cerbite's ruled out...and in my experience, professional companions, at least all the one's I've seen are far more religious about safe sex than women I knew, and know, in civilian life

Some questions seem based more on stereotypes than reality

 

http://www.bloodservices.ca/centreapps/internet/uw_v502_mainengine.nsf/page/ROD%20Questionnaire

 

(open the record of donation form)

 

RG

[Frank7 3939]

Well here is the questionnaire to see if you can donate blood

Look at questions 18, 25 and 26. All of us Cerbite's ruled out...and in my experience, professional companions, at least all the one's I've seen are far more religious about safe sex than women I knew, and know, in civilian life

Some questions seem based more on stereotypes than reality

 

http://www.bloodservices.ca/centreapps/internet/uw_v502_mainengine.nsf/page/ROD%20Questionnaire

 

(open the record of donation form)

 

RG

 

Exactly, there's nothing scientific about it, just stereotypes.

And i doubt much people would answer "Yes i've taken drugs for sex" even if it was true. Anyone can lie in a questionnaire.

[piano8950 32577]

Well here is the questionnaire to see if you can donate blood

Look at questions 18, 25 and 26. All of us Cerbite's ruled out...and in my experience, professional companions, at least all the one's I've seen are far more religious about safe sex than women I knew, and know, in civilian life

Some questions seem based more on stereotypes than reality

 

http://www.bloodservices.ca/centreapps/internet/uw_v502_mainengine.nsf/page/ROD%20Questionnaire

 

(open the record of donation form)

 

RG

 

I'm not sure how prevalent it is, but there exists a completely different market for sex trafficking, and street solicitation. I am completely comfortable with the SP I visit, just like I would be for everyone here (Everyone seems dilligent enough to take care of their health). I don't think I'd say the same thing with a woman found on the streets, or some shady website.

 

The question is all encompassing, but from what I understand it tries to minimize risk from all possible cases.

 

But the gay blood ban things is bizarrely stupid. A relic from the GRID days imo.

 

Additional Comments:

Exactly, there's nothing scientific about it, just stereotypes.

And i doubt much people would answer "Yes i've taken drugs for sex" even if it was true. Anyone can lie in a questionnaire.

 

And as for lying, when I donated, there is no link between your name and the answers, just a number, the blood and the questionnaire. They are incredibly conscious about protecting someone's privacy.

 

Just an example, a group of you in the office are going for a blood drive. It's a all-in sorta situation. The one person in there who might be infected with something stays quiet because he/she doesn't want anyone to know that he/she has HIV/some sort of STI, etc.

 

But while filling in the form, they are able to resist from any external pressures to lie. Your blood will be drawn, but assuming red flag answers, I'm assuming they either test it or throw it away.

 

Anyone can lie in a questionnaire, but in the privacy, and the knowledge that it cannot be tracked to you, I doubt many will. Especially when they realize the potential life of another is in their hands.

[Frank7 3939]

 

 

And as for lying, when I donated, there is no link between your name and the answers, just a number, the blood and the questionnaire. They are incredibly conscious about protecting someone's privacy.

 

Your blood will be drawn, but assuming red flag answers, I'm assuming they either test it or throw it away.

 

 

Thanks! I didn't know there was no link between the name and the answers. I've heard that people sometimes gave blood to get a free STI check (a myth?) so i though there was some link so you can get the answer.

 

I really hope they always test it, not just with red flag answers. If not, that's really dangerous...

[cat 262460]

I have always found their screening to be absurd. I have the rarest blood type and had donated since high school. When I did the soccer mom thing, my husband and I donated every 5 weeks. After I returned to work, I stopped but my husband continued. No where on the screening did it ask him if he had unprotected sex with a sex worker so he didn't have to lie. He never paid for sex so he told his truth. I remember having a discussion with a man once where he laughed about the screening because he was married and when verbally asked by a male screener he answered "I have expensive sex every time I have sex with my wife! Have you ever been married? There is no such thing as free sex" The interviewer was not amused but let him donate anyway.

I wish I could donate, they desperately need my blood type and there are proven health benefits for those who donate regularly. Perhaps with this first step they will start to evolve and recognize that the only guarantee of clean blood is testing, not thru written screening...

cat

[Luckyme 41401]

I was told by a nurse that they would screen the blood samples collected no matter what, ie. red flag or not.

 

To me, the questions on the questionnaire are so out of date and rigid. In my case, I had a HIV test done many many years ago for Life Insurance application purpose, and I had to tick yes and then had to answer this silly question each and every time I donated. One other area is the Malaria zones - these areas were designated many years ago, and have never been updated.