A Question about Blood Donation

I’m a gay, female, lifelong blood donor. 

Earlier this autumn my donation was refused because of a hemoglobin count that would have been perfectly acceptable for a male. 

Makes sense if I were of childbearing age but I’m NOT!!!  Am well beyond menopause and totally healthy. 


Fast forward to now - am getting multiple desperate appeals for supposedly desperately needed blood. 

Fine - emailed friends to get together a group to attend the next local drive. 


Well, am hearing from gay male friends that they are still arbitrarily excluded to donate no matter how healthy they are?!


Instead of being tested like all others they are still blindly exclude no matter how healthy for no particular reason...!!!


Exactly how acute is the need for blood REALLY if they continue to  reject healthy donations for no logical (health based) reason???


I’m serious - and as a multiple gallon donor (and a past blood chairperson at my place of employment) I’m starting to question an entire system based on bias not science...


Anybody agree or have another take on this...???




The lifetime ban may be lifted soon. The article does mention a critical shortage of blood in the NYC area.

https://abcnews.go.com/Health/story?id=117970&page=1


Different institutions follow different donor guidelines. I believe the two main sets of guidelines are Red Cross and FDA. I couldn't donate for many years because I lived overseas for several years during the mad cow era. Eventually I learned that the NIH in Bethesda, which follows FDA guidelines, would accept me as a donor when the regular local blood banks, which follow Red Cross guidelines, wouldn't. (I lived in the DC area at the time.) I'm not sure that helps at all. Just wanted to make the point that one place might accept you when another won't. 

I also couldn't donate during my mother's last years because she had hepatitis C, even though we didn't live together and I assured them we weren't sharing silverware or a toothbrush. After she died, they were happy to have me back. 


kthnry said:
The lifetime ban may be lifted soon. The article does mention a critical shortage of blood in the NYC area.
https://abcnews.go.com/Health/story?id=117970&page=1

 

Thanks for the article.  I appreciate it!

I still question why healthy blood is being refused if the need is actually so great. 

Blood donation has always been VERY important to me but at this point I think that I’ll stop for now and then resume giving mine when the hate lifts...


This is a radical move for me but  these aren’t normal times - I’m Increasingly feeling a need to take a stand for things that I believe in.  


Scully said:


kthnry said:
The lifetime ban may be lifted soon. The article does mention a critical shortage of blood in the NYC area.
https://abcnews.go.com/Health/story?id=117970&page=1
 
Thanks for the article.  I appreciate it!
I still question why healthy blood is being refused if the need is actually so great. 
Blood donation has always been VERY important to me but at this point I think that I’ll stop for now and then resume giving mine when the hate lifts...


This is a radical move for me but  these aren’t normal times - I’m Increasingly feeling a need to take a stand for things that I believe in.  

 Ordinarily I don't judge someone's form of protest, but who is being hurt by your boycott?


kthnry said:


Scully said:

kthnry said:
The lifetime ban may be lifted soon. The article does mention a critical shortage of blood in the NYC area.
https://abcnews.go.com/Health/story?id=117970&page=1
 
Thanks for the article.  I appreciate it!
I still question why healthy blood is being refused if the need is actually so great. 
Blood donation has always been VERY important to me but at this point I think that I’ll stop for now and then resume giving mine when the hate lifts...


This is a radical move for me but  these aren’t normal times - I’m Increasingly feeling a need to take a stand for things that I believe in.  
 Ordinarily I don't judge someone's form of protest, but who is being hurt by your boycott?


 Possibly nobody. They wouldn’t even accept my blood last time,  remember?


Yes, this troubles me too and I’m still arguing it over in my heart.  Be assured that it’s hardly my only form of protest...

This is why I threw it out here for discussion (and I’m REALLY grateful to you for engaging) so who knows...

I’ve already done discussions, phone calls, emails... all to no avail - just feeling frustrated.  They just don’t seem to care and that depresses the hell out of me.




The ban on gay men is wrong because recipients don't get what they need. Any withholding of donations is wrong, so the boycott is wrong. For it to be right, you need to hurt the right people.



Reread my reply above - THEY refused MY blood fo no rational reason. 


But anyway Tom, do you have any ideas about what I could do to help bring change more effectively?


Nothing seems to have made a difference so far.  I appreciate your input though - 

it’s just that it’s the 21st century  and all - somehow I had expected better by now...


What is a healthy iron level for some may be too low for others.  If they refused your blood due to low hemoglobin count (by their standards), they did so because they thought donating blood at that time would be harmful to you.  I have seen enough donors pass out during the donation process to know that donating can be a problem, even for potential donors who appear to be healthy.  If they are erring on the side of caution, consider them to be over-protective.  If this was just a one time rejection, it should not prevent you from trying to donate again.  If it is recurring, speak with your RN family member to determine if changes in diet, medication, or when and what you eat immediately prior to donating can help.

Regarding your other issue, as you undoubtedly know, this automatic rejection is based on historical factors which may no longer be relevant.  As someone posted above, serious consideration is being given to rethinking this restriction.  Again, they are erring on the side of caution.  In this case, they do not want a blood recipient to contract a blood borne illness or infection resulting from the blood transfusion received.  


@Scully, have you addressed this issue with your local representatives in government? I'd say that's a good step to take.

I'm going to donate platelets next week, and I do it about every six weeks. It's an annoying process, but they tell me I've saved 89 lives, so maybe it's worth it. If one wants to do something easy, one can donate a regular whole blood portion. That only takes a few minutes. I recommend donating blood to people who qualify, even though the reasons are sometimes misguided.


You should know that local representatives take tallies of the people who call in with an issue. So it helps to get lots of people to call in or write. You could start a letter writing campaign or a petition.

Next time I speak with the NY Blood Center, I will bring up your concern. And I will do it every time.

I wonder why, with a low iron level, they don't just take half a unit. They allow that for small people. I've been disqualified a couple of times because of my iron level. I try to keep it up, but it's a challenge for me. I seem to be naturally deficient. I've added red meat back into my diet, and I'm not sure it has helped.

But I have never passed out during or after a donation. The guy who usually takes my blood (phlebotomist?) tells me people pass out because they don't hydrate enough. They tell us not to exercise vigorously after donation, and I even ride my bike home from the donation. I guess I shouldn't, but I've always been fine.



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