Spring Break
Protesting when the FDA says 'no'
Students lead silent protest against FDA regulations that say gay men can't give blood
Katy Weaver
Issue date: 5/15/08 Section: News
"We want this to be a good relationship. We don't want animosity. Our goal is to save lives and educate the community."
The protesters were not advocating that people not give blood, however, they were merely protesting what they felt was discrimination.
"I don't want people not to give blood, but when you take out a whole group of people, that's wrong, it's f---ed up," Rhodes said.
"I am O-negative, I'm HIV negative, and I qualify in every single other mark. The only reason I am turned away is because of the people I love."
"The main reason I came to support wasn't just because this affects gay men, but because it affects people who need blood, too," said Troy Fultz, a senior in business administration, who participated in the protest. "They are turning away a lot of people."
The FDA sites many reasons for why gay men can't give blood.
"Surveillance data from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention indicate that men who have sex with men and would be likely to donate have a HIV prevalence that is at present over 15-fold higher than the general population, and over 2000-fold higher than current repeat blood donors (i.e., those who have been negatively screened and tested) in the USA. MSM continue to account for the largest number of people newly infected with HIV."
Similar protests to the one held yesterday "have happened on many other campuses and internationally as well," said Scott Waggoner, a graduate student in geography and BDA adviser. "We want their efforts to be heard."
Katy Weaver, assistant news editor
news@dailybarometer.com, 737-2231
The protesters were not advocating that people not give blood, however, they were merely protesting what they felt was discrimination.
"I don't want people not to give blood, but when you take out a whole group of people, that's wrong, it's f---ed up," Rhodes said.
"I am O-negative, I'm HIV negative, and I qualify in every single other mark. The only reason I am turned away is because of the people I love."
"The main reason I came to support wasn't just because this affects gay men, but because it affects people who need blood, too," said Troy Fultz, a senior in business administration, who participated in the protest. "They are turning away a lot of people."
The FDA sites many reasons for why gay men can't give blood.
"Surveillance data from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention indicate that men who have sex with men and would be likely to donate have a HIV prevalence that is at present over 15-fold higher than the general population, and over 2000-fold higher than current repeat blood donors (i.e., those who have been negatively screened and tested) in the USA. MSM continue to account for the largest number of people newly infected with HIV."
Similar protests to the one held yesterday "have happened on many other campuses and internationally as well," said Scott Waggoner, a graduate student in geography and BDA adviser. "We want their efforts to be heard."
Katy Weaver, assistant news editor
news@dailybarometer.com, 737-2231
Note: writers will not reply to comments.
Viewing Comments 1 - 1 of 1
Mikhelle Gattone
posted 5/15/08 @ 8:18 AM PST
What an interesting statement by Erika McQuillen because her thought is that we should just volunteer our time to help, but not our blood. This sounds so discriminatory and familiar to the other policies (past and present) made on the LGBT community that tries to give a "separate but equal" ideology. (Continued…)
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