Bad Blood

Thanks to everyone who came out for our Bad Blood discussion. We had over two dozen folks joining in the discussion at Pivot including Cascade AIDS Project Executive Director Michael Kaplan as well as Steve Stegeman, Chief Executive Officer of the Pacific Northwest Blood Services Region for the American Red Cross.

Couldn’t make it to the discussion? Have no fear because Ernesto Dominguez, Chat PDX’s Blogmaster extraordinaire live blogged the entire discussion.

And click here for a presentation that opened the discussion from the evening’s facilitator, Josh Ferrer, on the history of the ban on blood donations by gay/bi men and efforts to change it.

Interested in more background on the topic? Check out these links:

Food and Drug Administration Policy on Blood Donations – Common questions and answers regarding the ban on donating blood for men who have sex with men.

A Drive for Change: Reforming U.S. Blood Donation Policies - A report from the Gay Men’s Health Crisis in New York City.

Summary of International Policies on Blood Donation - From the National Blood Service in the U.K.

Joint Statement before the Advisory Committee on Blood Safety and Availability - Statement released this June by AABB, America’s Blood Centers and the American Red Cross regarding blood donations by men who have sex with men.