Southwestern College Collegian

Issue date: 4/16/08 Section: Editorial

Hepatitis. Herpes. HIV/AIDS. Mad Cow Disease. Malaria. Sickle Cell. Syphilis. Tuberculosis. Imagine preparing to have surgery. A blood transfusion takes place. Seven years later you are diagnosed with any one of the diseases listed. And all of that could have been prevented had the American Red Cross denied access to a blood donor who had a possible risk of carrying the disease. In fact, they do. If you are at risk of infection from any one of those diseases you cannot donate blood. The American Red Cross and the Food and Drug Administration have established rules and eligibility guidelines to prevent this. It is not to discriminate. It is to ensure safety for those who will be receiving your blood. We all have friends or know people who are gay or lesbian. But that doesn't mean you want their blood, especially if they are sexually active-which means they have a higher risk of carrying HIV. A student at Winfield High School was not allowed to donate blood last fall. He was turned away. He was denied the opportunity to help save a life because he was openly gay. In an attempt to gain respect, he and gay rights supporters protested last week. They wore rainbow stickers - an emblem of gay pride - on their clothing to protest the rules of the American Red Cross. The American Red Cross has a clause in their eligibility guidelines that reads, "You should not give blood if you have AIDS or have ever had a positive HIV test, or if you have done something that puts you at risk for becoming infected with HIV." This statement includes males who have "had sexual contact with another male, even once, since 1977." The guidelines were revised May 24, 2007, and are enforced by the Food and Drug Administration. The FDA believes that contamination of blood is more common in homosexuals and can easily be avoided by not allowing them to give blood. HIV/AIDS is not only spread through homosexuals. According to webmd.com, a person can get HIV when an infected person's body fluids enter his or her bloodstream. This can range from body fluids such as semen, blood, fluid from the vagina, or breast milk. Webmd.com states that "The virus can enter the blood through linings in the mouth, anus, or sex organs (the penis and vagina), or through broken skin." Both men and women can get and spread the virus. The issue at stake is not the fact that a homosexual was denied the opportunity to give blood. The issue is also reducing risks. The American Red Cross website states that after collection, samples of the blood are sent to one of nine Red Cross National Testing Laboratories. There they are tested for transmissible diseases. At this point the blood is separated and placed in quarantined refrigeration units until the test results are received. After the results are in, the blood is released either for distribution or to be destroyed if diseases are found. Some people might wonder what the purpose of screening donors at the door and then testing the blood anyway is. It may seem timely and costly to screen at the door by doing the short health questionnaire. But in the end, it is more efficient and ensures safety for recipients of the blood. Until the late 1980s most people weren't aware of HIV. HIV/AIDS has become a well-known disease. It's not one that any of us wants to get. The American Red Cross and the FDA aren't putting rules and regulations on blood donors because they're prejudiced. They are doing it for everyone's safety. Jessica Bernhardt is a junior majoring in journalism. You may e-mail her at jessica.bernhardt@sckans.edu.

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