FDA Remains Firm on Lifetime Deferral for Gay Men (ABC article)

A Medical Director in Southern California has obtained permission from America's Blood Centers (ABC) for the posted news article to be shared with the e-Network Forum for discussion. The article starts with "The Food and Drug Administration has rejected arguments in an April letter by seven members of Congress who asked the agency to reconsider the lifetime blood donation deferral for gay men in favor of a one-year deferral policy." Given the tenuous nature of the blood supply, the inquiring physician is concerned about the hard line stand being taken by the FDA, now that testing for HIV has evolved to the point where it is extremely unlikely that an HIV infected unit will slip through the cracks and be transfused. There is probably a much greater risk that an HIV infected autologous unit will inadvertantly be transfused to a wrong recipient, yet collection, storage and transfusion of HIV infected autologous blood is not prohibited by FDA. What is the opinion of others?

Submit comments to the e-Network Forum at enetworkforum@cbbsweb.org

Ira A. Shulman, MD
CBBS e-Network Forum Editor & Moderator

W. Tait Stevens, MD
CBBS e-Network Forum Assistant Editor & Moderator

The e-Network Forum is supported in part by the California Blood Bank Society (CBBS) and the American Red Cross Blood Services (ARCBS) and endorses collegial discussion among blood banking and transfusion medicine professionals. However, neither the CBBS nor the ARCBS in any way endorse the specific views and opinions expressed in the forum. The forum is not intended as a substitute for medical or legal advice and the content should not be relied upon for any medical or legal purposes. Readers should make their own determinations as to: (i) what constitutes appropriate medical, technical, and administrative practices, and (ii) how best to comply with laws and regulations relevant to their questions. For the latter, they should consider consulting, as to any medical matters, a qualified physician, and, as to any legal matters, an attorney familiar with related state and federal laws. The user of the forum, by accessing same, assumes all risks arising out of such use and releases CBBS and their respective members, directors, officers and agents from and against any loss, damage, claim or liability arising out of such use of the Forum.