Justin B. Terry-Smith has been involved in LGBTQ and HIV Activism since 1999. He is an Air Force 9/11 Disabled Vet. Raised in Silver Spring, MD, he now lives in Albuequerque, New Meixco with his husband Phil. He writes an HIV/STI Advice Column for A&U Magazine, is a Contributing writer for thebody.com, a Life Coach and an Adjunct Professor. He has earned his Doctorate in Public Health with a concentration in Infectious Disease and his Masters in Clinical Mental Health Counseling.
Monday, December 21, 2015
Food and Drug Administration (FDA) has lifted its ban on blood donations from gay men
The Food and Drug Administration has lifted its ban on blood donations from gay men. The ban has been in place for 32 years. So yeah we can give blood now. Thank you to the FDA. BUT there is a stipulation. To give blood to the FDA you must be abstinent for one year prior to giving blood. Hmmmmmmmm no sex for a year……nope sorry not me. The abstinent rule is also in place in countries such as the United Kingdom and Australia. The ban was put into place during the early years of the AIDS crisis. With medicine and science making strides activist and medical group see the ban as unjustifiable.
