At a recent blood drive in downtown Los Angeles, Terry Brown, a resident of the area, experienced a mix of excitement and nervousness as he prepared to donate blood for the first time in decades. The reason behind his emotions was the recent relaxation of the assessment criteria for individual blood donors by the U.S. Food and Drug Association (FDA) and the American Red Cross. The new rules, which went into effect in early August, aimed to be more inclusive and remove discrimination based on sexual orientation, sex, or gender.
Brown, 62, expressed his enthusiasm for the opportunity to reconnect with the broader community of Los Angeles through blood donation. He emphasized the importance of recognizing that donating blood helps all fellow citizens, not just the LGBTQ+ community. Brown believed that reaching this point could have happened sooner, but he was pleased that progress had been made.
The last time Brown had donated blood was in 1983 when he was in his early twenties in Los Angeles. Brown, who is the Chief Human Resources Officer at L.A. Care Health Plan, described the gay community as a giving community. His commitment to giving blood was evident as he participated in the blood drive organized by L.A. Care Health Plan’s Red Cross, following the lifting of restrictions on gay donors by the FDA.
In addition to regular donors like Brown, L.A. Care Health Plan plays an active role in organizing blood drives. Serving over 2.9 million families in the region, L.A. Care hosted its first blood drive since the policy change on August 21. Brown expressed his excitement about being able to donate blood at his own blood drive after decades. He praised the more sensible criteria and the FDA’s relaxation of guidelines, recognizing the limitations imposed on a giving community that wants to support fellow citizens.
The FDA’s previous ban on most gay men donating blood, regardless of their health history, was seen as discriminatory towards the LGBTQ+ community. The ban was established during the HIV/AIDS epidemic in the last century when it was estimated that 70% of people with HIV were gay or bisexual men. At that time, blood screenings and HIV antibody testing were limited. The updated guidelines eliminate the requirement for men who have sex with men to abstain from sex for three months before donating blood and remove questions based on sexual orientation. Instead, a new “risk-based” questionnaire evaluates individuals for HIV based on sexual history and other factors. L.A. Care officials believe these relaxed policies will help overcome the summer shortages experienced by local blood banks.
Stephanie Grande, a spokesperson for the American Red Cross, stated that around 12,500 blood donations are needed daily to meet the demands of patients in approximately 2,500 hospitals and transfusion centers nationwide. The recent blood drive organized by L.A. Care Health Plan collected fifteen units of blood. Grande welcomed the increased number of potential donors and expressed a desire for a more inclusive donation process. She acknowledged the years of data collection and safety assessments that led to the change in policy and recognized the need to repair the relationship with the LGBTQ+ community.
Brown commended advancements in blood testing and pre-screening technology, along with the new guidelines, as factors that should motivate others to donate blood and save lives. Despite the busyness of people’s lives, he believed that there is nothing more important than providing the gift of life and participating in supporting the broader community through blood donation.
For more information on L.A. Care and American Red Cross blood drives, visit their websites: lacare.org and redcross.org.
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