Gay men breaking blood donation rules
Men who have sex with men are barred from giving blood in England, Scotland and Wales for three months after sexual activity - but some are deciding to break the rules because they are offended!
"It galls me every time I hear an advert on the radio asking for people to give blood, when there's a huge section of society that is just denied that for no good reason," says David - not his real name.
He is a sexually active gay man who donates blood to the NHS several times a year.
"I grew up in a family who gave blood regularly and instilled in me that that was the right thing to do. I did it before I started having sex with men - and I carried on doing it afterwards because, for me, that was the right thing to do."
David's idea of right is simply wrong
In 2017, rules were relaxed in England, Scotland and Wales to allow men who have sex with men to give blood after abstaining from sexual activity for three months. Previously, they had to wait a year - which remains the case in Northern Ireland.
NHS Blood and Transplant - the organisation that looks after blood in England - says the timeframe exists because, while all donations are screened, "there is a period of time following contact with any infection when it would not be detected by our screening tests".
Homophobia' or Health reasons?
David says the law remains "rooted in deep homophobia. I don't see why I should be denied the rights to help fellow people. Certainly, I don't think the people whose lives I've potentially saved would complain."
What David avoids to understand - people will complain if he passes on potentially contaminated blood.
Asked why he takes the risk, knowing medical professionals believe it unsafe, he says he practices safe sex and is tested more frequently than heterosexual people.
David, like other men the programme spoke to that knowingly breach the rules, says he takes the Prep drug every day - which can prevent users from contracting HIV.
However, SaBTO's guidelines says those who have used PrEP within the previous three months cannot be accepted because of concerns about how it might impact on HIV screening results.
Su Brailsford, a consultant in health protection at NHS Blood and Transplant (NHSBT), says it is "very concerned" by the programme's findings.
Donating before three months is not illegal and while the NHSBT does have strategies in place to protect blood supply, it cannot currently stop people such as David donating if they lie during donor health checks.
Ms Brailsford says: "The safety of the seriously ill people who receive blood is our number one priority. Blood donation exists for patients, not for blood donors."
David's arrogant attitude reflect again it is all about homosexuals pushing their own agenda at other people's potential harm.
"Anyone can acquire a blood-borne infection or a sexually transmitted disease but some people have an increased risk of exposure. At a population level, men who have sex with men have a higher risk. Using protection like a condoms or Prep can reduce this risk but may not eliminate it. We have to consider not only the donor but also the potential risks of their partner. All donors have to complete the donor health check when they come to donate - so it's not just men who have sex with men who we ask about what sort of sex they've been having."
The facts around blood donation
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Ryan - not his real name - has been donating blood, against the rules, for nearly 10 years. He says the rules makes him feel he is not good enough and his blood does not matter.
Here is the warped thinking - "not good enough" is a complete denial of the unhealthy lifestyles and high-risk sexual behaviour of homosexuals that can lead to blood contamination. It has nothing to do with feelings - acceptance or anything like emotions - homosexual sex is an unhealthy lifestyle risk.
Knowing that their blood may be contaminated, ignoring that fact then trying to take the high road is hypocrisy.
"It's not nice that you're almost discriminated against and you know that you are doing something that you shouldn't be doing. But at the same time, morally, you are helping somebody else by giving blood.
THE ARROGANCE OF SOME HOMOSEXUALS IS UNBELIEVABLE
Ryan gives blood after promising his mother he would continue to medically donate whatever he could, shortly before she suddenly died. He says he would not consider abstaining from sex in order to give blood and he takes precautions over his sexual health.
Asked whether he was worried other people giving blood would not be as careful, he said there would always be a risk.
"I don't think that who I choose to have sexual relations with, or fall in love with, should have any bearing on giving blood."
