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Men Who Have Sex With Men
Turning Away Blood Donation From Men Who have Sex With Men
Jeffrey R. Robinson
Grand Canyon University: Theoretical Foundations for Nursing Roles and Practice
March 7th 2015

Introduction When blood donation is low and technologically advanced health and blood screening is a reality, why would the US continue to turn away blood? I chose this for the reason that being a gay man in the health care industry in 2014, I am still unable to donate blood. I do not engage in risky behavior, yet I still am unable to make a difference in the lives of many people. This paper will discuss the history of an outdated Federal Drug Administration (FDA) policy, which includes disparities, stigmas, and education or lack thereof. It will also address cultural communication and resolution to this policy.
History
In the mid 1980’s when the first cases of HIV/Aids were being discovered the FDA put in place a policy to protect blood donation from HIV. At the time there was a lack of information regarding who carried the virus and how it could be transmitted. To protect the public a lifetime ban was placed on blood donation from men who have sex with men. To this day the US Department of Health and Human Services (DHHS) continues its lifetime ban on men who have sex with men even though there are blood screening techniques and enhanced donor protocols in place (Roman, 2010).
Stigma
Even in 2014 there are still multiple stigmas that affect the lesbian, gay, bisexual, and transgender community (LGBT). Homosexuality has a negative annotation in societal stigmas. Stigmas can include that all gay men have HIV, all lesbians are overweight and all transgender are confused. Men who have sex with men currently account for only 2% of the current US population (Lim, Brown, & Justin kim, 2014). Although men who have sex with men have a disproportionately higher risk of contracting HIV, The FDA has no restrictions in place to screen blood donation from straight man who indulge in risky


References: Lim, F. A., Brown, D., & Justin kim, S. M. (2014). Addresing Health Care Disparities in the Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual, and Transgender Population: A review of Best Practices. American Journal of Nursing , 114, 24-34. Lim, F., & Levitt, N. (2011). Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual, and Transgender Health. American Journal of Nursing , 111 (11), 11. McEwen, M., & Wills, E. M. (2014). Theworetical Basis for Nursing. (4. edition, Ed.) Philadelphia, PA: Wolters Kluer Health / Lippincott Williams & Wilkins. Roman, J. (2010). Why Can 't Men Who Have Sex With Men Donate Blood. American Journal of Nursing , 110 (10), 13.
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