(Not Enough) Blood on Their Hands
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Oh bloody hell...
Because, of course, it is still more logical to incur a near-certain risk of shortage than a near-zero risk of contamination. At least where gays are concerned.
Madness. Sheer madness.
[Dr. Robert] Jones, the chief executive of the New York Blood Center, said that New York City is facing a critical blood shortage, with seasonal summer shortages lasting into the fall.None of which, of course, appears to be a sufficient reason to press harder for a lift of the nonsensical (and perhaps lethal) ban on all gay blood donors — even those who have not had sex, even safe sex, in a decade and who know, with absolute certainty, that they are HIV-. And even though all donated blood is screened, with literally near-perfect certainty, for HIV.
His organization, which is the major supplier of blood to New York area hospitals and medical facilities, has only a two-day stockpile of some blood types.
"It's still a scary thought that hospitals might run short," he said. "Hospitals, when they feel they don't have the blood supply," Jones said, "may postpone or cancel elective surgery."
He also noted that there was an instance several years ago of a hospital's blood supply becoming so dangerously low that administrators temporarily closed their emergency room.
Because, of course, it is still more logical to incur a near-certain risk of shortage than a near-zero risk of contamination. At least where gays are concerned.
Madness. Sheer madness.
Related Posts (on one page):
- The Blood Donor Dilemma, Revisited
- Canada Imposes Backward, Poorly Disclosed Gay Organ Ban
- Let's Not Forget the Other Scandalous Gay Ban
- (Not Enough) Blood on Their Hands
- Red Cross to Call for End to Gay Blood Donor Ban
- Red Cross Shakeup an Opportunity to Revisit Gay Blood Ban?
- FDA Takes a Giant Step Backwards
- On the Gay Blood Ban
Posted by Kip on
21 September 2006
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