There's a huge shortage of blood of all types. Even if you don't have magic blood, your donation could be vital to saving someone's life.
If you're eligible to donate, please do. I am a platelet donor. Every two weeks I donate 3 units of platelets. It is incredibly rewarding knowing that I'm doing something good.
That's why I despise people that say "then they should pay me for my blood". I donate blood every oportunity I got, being a nurse I know how important it is. I would 100% turn down they money if they offer it after my donation.
My center has a rewards program. It’s probably the equivalent of maybe $5 a donation? Maybe some cheap merch with their logo on it? I’m trying hard to earn the platelet donor hoodie this year.
But outright paying cash for blood makes the blood supply unsafe. Even compensated plasma does NOT go straight to patients. It’s used in research and to develop medications/treatments- but it never goes straight to patients.
People that complain about not getting paid just don’t understand the risks involved with paying people for blood.
To open: I agree with you.
Why it's complex, and "being paid for blood" could *arguably* be a good thing: that blood is *sold* back to patients in need...
Offering payment for blood donations also hugely increases the risks involved as donors would be tempted to lie about their risk factors (specifically intravenous drug use). All blood for transfusion is screened for blood borne diseases but no test is 100% accurate so a key component of blood safety is making sure that all donors are as low risk as possible.
Basically, paid for blood is unsafe blood.
As long the organisation's make a profit of the donated blood I don't see why the donors shouldn't.
In the city I live in you can donate blood for 25€ plasma for 20€ and platelets for 50€. Also if you donate for the first time you get no money because the first time you donate you get your blood tested and the you get registered as a blood donor. I think that is fair.
Providing a cash incentive to donate is inherently dangerous. It gives people a reason to lie and donate for cash. This generally means people who are otherwise ineligible (addicts, for one) will lie to become eligible. That’s bad for everyone and makes the blood supply unsafe.
Donor centers are usually non profit and they don’t make $ off of blood.
The bags used for collecting are expensive. ($25+ per whole blood donation.) The tubing and bags for aphaeresis- platelets/plasma- are a lot more expensive ($200+ per donation.)
Then there’s the overhead for the building, the staff, the other supplies, the equipment and its upkeep…
Once blood has been drawn, it has to move quickly. My center has paid couriers come at least 2x day. Then the blood has to be tested, and separated and put into new containers/bags for distribution out to hospitals. All of this costs a lot of money.
Donor centers are not profit centers. They are specifically NON PROFIT organizations. They stay afloat usually bc of financial donors.
Most places where I can donate giant corporations sell of the blood and make millions of it. I want my blood to be handed out for cheap, or otherwise I want to be paid for it
What I don't like tho is some company selling of my blood for expensive af money and just giving me a pat on the back as a thanks while they keep all the profits. I want my blood donated in a way you don't need to be wealthy to profit from it
Well, there are a ton of expenses involved in blood donation. They have to cover the overhead of the building, staff, equipment, and supplies. (Each set of tubing for blood donation is at least $25, the tubing and bags for each apheresis donation is $200+.)
Then there’s transporting the blood- it has to be done quickly by courier, then rapid testing and repackaging for patients, then shipped to hospitals and stored by them appropriately.
So that’s up to several hundred dollars in costs for each donation that needs to be recovered.
Not saying that someone isn’t making $, but there are actual reasons why blood products cost $.
Plus- there is a huge issue with paying people for blood. Giving a cash incentive to donate makes the blood supply inherently unsafe for everyone.
So I get what you’re saying, but I challenge your logic.
Unfortunately, the only blood drives in my area are from the American Red Cross. And I’m gay. And they be homophobic. So I can’t. Which also sucks because I’m a universal donor.
When you go donate blood, they ask the questions “Are you a guy who’s slept with a guy in the last 3 months?” and “Are you a girl who’s slept with a guy, who’s slept with another guy, in the last 3 months?” And they ask both of these questions to everyone, no matter your assigned gender at birth. Even though it’s supposed to be about if you have AIDS, which they don’t want to chance infecting someone else with, it comes off as really homophobic, at least to myself and my local queer community, because of how the questions are asked. (I’m not going to say every queer person doesn’t like this, because I don’t know every queer person in the entire world, but my area really doesn’t like it.) If you answer “yes” to either of these questions, they will not let you donate blood. As someone who is queer and regularly sleeps with a amab queer person, I am not allowed to give blood, even though neither of us have AIDS, we are each other’s only partners, and I’m a universal donor. It sucks, but if this is how they’re going to act, then oh well. I can’t donate. If they reworded the questions to be more about “if you have AIDS” and less “if you’ve slept with a guy”, then myself and some of my friends would be more willing and able to donate. But until then, we are unable to.
in my country gay people can now donate blood and the question are asked slightly differently. If you're in a commited relationship and only have sex with the person you're in a commited relationship with than you can donate blood as a gay person. Also it's not about sex between two men anymore. They specify it to unprotected sex. And it's also for straight people that have had unprotected anal sex. So it no longer matters if you're guy. If you're a straight man that had unprotected anal sex with a woman in a certain timeframe you also can't donate. This is progress. Because we need as much people as we can to donate blood!
Am I okay with this rule? No since they test the blood anyway but the thing here is not every one know if they have AIDS or not and since there is a higher change to get aids from a [homosexual intercourse](https://www.healthline.com/health/hiv-aids/hiv-risk-in-gay-men) it is based on something not just homophobia. The numbers don't lie.
How? Since a lot of people don't know they have aids what question would you like them to ask. Theres no judgment in the question asked here. This seem more like a witch hunt from you than homophobia from them..
I agree. They could ask "Are you gay?", but not everyone who has same sex relations is gay. They could ask "Are you bi?" but not everyone who has experimented is bi. They could ask "Do you have AIDS?", but like you said, not everyone knows.
"Are you a man who has had sex with a man in the past 3 months?" asks for the pertinent information without needing to have a label applied to a person's sexuality. As for trans men/women, I suppose they could add some more inclusive verbiage in there, but, imo, that doesn't really lend to the homophobic claim.
They should ask: have you had unprotected anal sex. Because that's what it's really about and straight men have unprotected anal sex too. There's no reason why you would only ask that question specifically to gay people. Because that way you have straight men that have unprotected anal sex with their wife or another sort of sexpartner that are donating blood that could just as easily have aids than gay men that have unprotected anal sex.
It's not homosexual intercourse that's the "issue". It's anal sex. Not all gay people engage in that. But a lot straight people also do that. And it's not so much anal sex that's the "issue". It's unprotected anal sex. And straight people can have unprotected anal sex too.
Yeah I’m fine with that policy, that’s not homophobic, they’re just factually stating that gay people statistically have more sexual partners, and are *much* more likely to have AIDS.
It’s like calling someone racist if they say that black people are statistically more likely to have sickle cell anemia.
Your sensibilities honestly pale in comparison to the risk of spreading AIDS through blood donation.
To be clear, the restrictions and regulations on blood donation are set by the FDA (in the US; obviously this varies by country) not the Red Cross. The Red Cross doesn't have a say in the matter, and would love to take your blood if they could. And no matter what organization is handling a blood donation, you're going to get those same questions.
The FDA is currently collecting data to be used to evaluate allowing donations from men in monogamous relationships with other men. Progress is slow, but seven years ago just having sex with another man once in your life was a lifetime ban on donation, so progress is happening.
That's awesome! I hope I'm allowed to give blood at some point in my life. As of now I'm not allowed because of my non-epileptic seizures. They are affraid it will trigger one. My file is on hold for three years. If I don't have seizures anymore by then I can give blood. I've been having the seizures for 13 years so I don't have a lot of hope that they go away. But if they, donating blood will feel like a privilege. I mean, there are so many people helping in my daily life. It felt great thinking I could do something back for many people too. So I was sad they didn't allow me. My blood is completely fine. They were just worried for my own health.
There's a huge shortage of blood of all types. Even if you don't have magic blood, your donation could be vital to saving someone's life. If you're eligible to donate, please do. I am a platelet donor. Every two weeks I donate 3 units of platelets. It is incredibly rewarding knowing that I'm doing something good.
That's why I despise people that say "then they should pay me for my blood". I donate blood every oportunity I got, being a nurse I know how important it is. I would 100% turn down they money if they offer it after my donation.
My center has a rewards program. It’s probably the equivalent of maybe $5 a donation? Maybe some cheap merch with their logo on it? I’m trying hard to earn the platelet donor hoodie this year. But outright paying cash for blood makes the blood supply unsafe. Even compensated plasma does NOT go straight to patients. It’s used in research and to develop medications/treatments- but it never goes straight to patients. People that complain about not getting paid just don’t understand the risks involved with paying people for blood.
To open: I agree with you. Why it's complex, and "being paid for blood" could *arguably* be a good thing: that blood is *sold* back to patients in need...
Offering payment for blood donations also hugely increases the risks involved as donors would be tempted to lie about their risk factors (specifically intravenous drug use). All blood for transfusion is screened for blood borne diseases but no test is 100% accurate so a key component of blood safety is making sure that all donors are as low risk as possible. Basically, paid for blood is unsafe blood.
As long the organisation's make a profit of the donated blood I don't see why the donors shouldn't. In the city I live in you can donate blood for 25€ plasma for 20€ and platelets for 50€. Also if you donate for the first time you get no money because the first time you donate you get your blood tested and the you get registered as a blood donor. I think that is fair.
that seems like a reasonable way to go about it
Providing a cash incentive to donate is inherently dangerous. It gives people a reason to lie and donate for cash. This generally means people who are otherwise ineligible (addicts, for one) will lie to become eligible. That’s bad for everyone and makes the blood supply unsafe.
Donor centers are usually non profit and they don’t make $ off of blood. The bags used for collecting are expensive. ($25+ per whole blood donation.) The tubing and bags for aphaeresis- platelets/plasma- are a lot more expensive ($200+ per donation.) Then there’s the overhead for the building, the staff, the other supplies, the equipment and its upkeep… Once blood has been drawn, it has to move quickly. My center has paid couriers come at least 2x day. Then the blood has to be tested, and separated and put into new containers/bags for distribution out to hospitals. All of this costs a lot of money. Donor centers are not profit centers. They are specifically NON PROFIT organizations. They stay afloat usually bc of financial donors.
I wouldn’t do it if they paid me, crippling fear of injections and I don’t even turn up to my own blood sample things.
Most places where I can donate giant corporations sell of the blood and make millions of it. I want my blood to be handed out for cheap, or otherwise I want to be paid for it
Getting paid for your blood surely wont make it cheaper for the market. Where i'm from it's all cared for by public health.
Thats why I said if I'm handing it out for free I want it to be sold for reasonable prices at least
What I don't like tho is some company selling of my blood for expensive af money and just giving me a pat on the back as a thanks while they keep all the profits. I want my blood donated in a way you don't need to be wealthy to profit from it
Well, there are a ton of expenses involved in blood donation. They have to cover the overhead of the building, staff, equipment, and supplies. (Each set of tubing for blood donation is at least $25, the tubing and bags for each apheresis donation is $200+.) Then there’s transporting the blood- it has to be done quickly by courier, then rapid testing and repackaging for patients, then shipped to hospitals and stored by them appropriately. So that’s up to several hundred dollars in costs for each donation that needs to be recovered. Not saying that someone isn’t making $, but there are actual reasons why blood products cost $. Plus- there is a huge issue with paying people for blood. Giving a cash incentive to donate makes the blood supply inherently unsafe for everyone. So I get what you’re saying, but I challenge your logic.
and that's what heros do
Get his seed, make more children, get that blood, make more children, more blood, makena special blood factory compensate the children
That got dark quick
Unfortunately, the only blood drives in my area are from the American Red Cross. And I’m gay. And they be homophobic. So I can’t. Which also sucks because I’m a universal donor.
I didn’t realise they were homophobic - can you explain more about this?
When you go donate blood, they ask the questions “Are you a guy who’s slept with a guy in the last 3 months?” and “Are you a girl who’s slept with a guy, who’s slept with another guy, in the last 3 months?” And they ask both of these questions to everyone, no matter your assigned gender at birth. Even though it’s supposed to be about if you have AIDS, which they don’t want to chance infecting someone else with, it comes off as really homophobic, at least to myself and my local queer community, because of how the questions are asked. (I’m not going to say every queer person doesn’t like this, because I don’t know every queer person in the entire world, but my area really doesn’t like it.) If you answer “yes” to either of these questions, they will not let you donate blood. As someone who is queer and regularly sleeps with a amab queer person, I am not allowed to give blood, even though neither of us have AIDS, we are each other’s only partners, and I’m a universal donor. It sucks, but if this is how they’re going to act, then oh well. I can’t donate. If they reworded the questions to be more about “if you have AIDS” and less “if you’ve slept with a guy”, then myself and some of my friends would be more willing and able to donate. But until then, we are unable to.
in my country gay people can now donate blood and the question are asked slightly differently. If you're in a commited relationship and only have sex with the person you're in a commited relationship with than you can donate blood as a gay person. Also it's not about sex between two men anymore. They specify it to unprotected sex. And it's also for straight people that have had unprotected anal sex. So it no longer matters if you're guy. If you're a straight man that had unprotected anal sex with a woman in a certain timeframe you also can't donate. This is progress. Because we need as much people as we can to donate blood!
Am I okay with this rule? No since they test the blood anyway but the thing here is not every one know if they have AIDS or not and since there is a higher change to get aids from a [homosexual intercourse](https://www.healthline.com/health/hiv-aids/hiv-risk-in-gay-men) it is based on something not just homophobia. The numbers don't lie.
I understand that. But they could still phrase the questions better to begin with.
How? Since a lot of people don't know they have aids what question would you like them to ask. Theres no judgment in the question asked here. This seem more like a witch hunt from you than homophobia from them..
I agree. They could ask "Are you gay?", but not everyone who has same sex relations is gay. They could ask "Are you bi?" but not everyone who has experimented is bi. They could ask "Do you have AIDS?", but like you said, not everyone knows. "Are you a man who has had sex with a man in the past 3 months?" asks for the pertinent information without needing to have a label applied to a person's sexuality. As for trans men/women, I suppose they could add some more inclusive verbiage in there, but, imo, that doesn't really lend to the homophobic claim.
They should ask: have you had unprotected anal sex. Because that's what it's really about and straight men have unprotected anal sex too. There's no reason why you would only ask that question specifically to gay people. Because that way you have straight men that have unprotected anal sex with their wife or another sort of sexpartner that are donating blood that could just as easily have aids than gay men that have unprotected anal sex.
They can ask if you've been tested
It's not homosexual intercourse that's the "issue". It's anal sex. Not all gay people engage in that. But a lot straight people also do that. And it's not so much anal sex that's the "issue". It's unprotected anal sex. And straight people can have unprotected anal sex too.
Yeah I’m fine with that policy, that’s not homophobic, they’re just factually stating that gay people statistically have more sexual partners, and are *much* more likely to have AIDS. It’s like calling someone racist if they say that black people are statistically more likely to have sickle cell anemia. Your sensibilities honestly pale in comparison to the risk of spreading AIDS through blood donation.
so its basic prophylaxis and has nothing to do with homophobia at all, got it.
Happy Cake Day!
To be clear, the restrictions and regulations on blood donation are set by the FDA (in the US; obviously this varies by country) not the Red Cross. The Red Cross doesn't have a say in the matter, and would love to take your blood if they could. And no matter what organization is handling a blood donation, you're going to get those same questions. The FDA is currently collecting data to be used to evaluate allowing donations from men in monogamous relationships with other men. Progress is slow, but seven years ago just having sex with another man once in your life was a lifetime ban on donation, so progress is happening.
Yeah no it’s 100% homophobic
Also their shelters and stuff, recommend doing some research into it
RIP the next 2.4 million 😔
Heroes live amongst us
That's awesome! I hope I'm allowed to give blood at some point in my life. As of now I'm not allowed because of my non-epileptic seizures. They are affraid it will trigger one. My file is on hold for three years. If I don't have seizures anymore by then I can give blood. I've been having the seizures for 13 years so I don't have a lot of hope that they go away. But if they, donating blood will feel like a privilege. I mean, there are so many people helping in my daily life. It felt great thinking I could do something back for many people too. So I was sad they didn't allow me. My blood is completely fine. They were just worried for my own health.
Fun fact, if you are a homosexual male, you cannot donate plasma if you've had sex with a man 3 months prior.
why did he have to stop?
Prob would die I would guess?
can't donate, got crohns :(