In December of last year, the FDA announced that it was lifting its 32-year ban on blood donations from gay and bisexual men — but only for those who are sexually abstinent for the 12 months prior to giving blood. "While gay and bisexual men will be eligible to donate their blood and help save lives under this 12 month deferral, countless more will continue to be banned solely on the basis of their sexual orientation and without medical or scientific reasoning," the National Gay Blood Drive said of the FDA's move in a statement. Now, the agency's ban is under scrutiny again after yesterday's shooting at a gay nightclub in Orlando, which killed 49 people — updated from 50, to exclude the shooter — and injured at least 53.
The blood donation organization OneBlood reports that thousands of people flocked to its central Florida centers to give blood in the wake of the tragedy. Sexually active gay and bi men, however, were excluded from donating to help the survivors, which sparked outrage and frustration.
We live in a country where it's legal to buy assault rifles & it's illegal for gay men to donate blood to help the victims of this massacre.
— Fortune Feimster (@fortunefunny) June 12, 2016
It is baffling to me that so few people knew about the gay & trans blood ban. It is not Florida-specific. It is federal and long standing.
— Chase Strangio (@chasestrangio) June 13, 2016
If you can get out and donate blood in Orlando, please do on my behalf. Gay men in #Orlando are prevented from doing so by federal law ❤️🌈🇺🇸
— Charlie Carver (@Charlie_Carver) June 12, 2016
Refusing to take a gay person's blood even though you need it to save a gay person's life is adding insult to injury. #PulseShooting
— Fabian. (@warpedrhythm) June 12, 2016
Overwhelmed by the influx of would-be donors, OneBlood has asked people to make appointments over the coming days; the organization is still in need of AB plasma and O negative and O positive blood. The Orlando Sentinel reports that although the FDA lifted its lifetime ban on gay and bi male donors last year, OneBlood still does not take blood from gay or bi donors who have ever been sexually active. We've reached out to OneBlood for comment and will update if we hear back.
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