GLAAD calling on the FDA to lift the blood donation ban for gay men

With a dire need for blood nationwide, GLAAD is calling on the FDA to lift the ban for gay and bisexual men.

They say a million people could benefit from blood donations from gay men.

ALL NEW FOR YOUTHIS MORNING --WE'VE BEEN TELLINGYOU ABOUT THE DIRENEED FOR BLOOD--BOTH IN WESTERNNEW YORK--AND BEYOND.BUT WITH AN FDA BANIN PLACE--GAY AND BISEXUALMEN--ARE FORBIDDEN FROMDONATING--UNLESS THEY'VEABSTAINED FROM SEXFOR A YEAR.WITH THIS CRITICALNEED IN MIND--BECAUSE OF THECORONAVIRUS--GLAAD--OR THE GAY ANDLESBIAN ALLIANCEAGAINSTDEFAMATION--IS CIRCULATING THISPETITION--LOOKING FOR 20-THOUSANDSIGNATURES--CALLING FOR THE FDATO LIFT THAT BAN.9.19.13 AT THIS POINTIT'S ARBITRARY IN ALOT OF WAYS.

IT'SOVER CAUTIOUS AND ISPREVENTING A LARGEPART OF OURPOPULATION FROMDOING WHAT THEY CANTO MEET THISEMERGENCY NEED.9.19.22THAT'S MATTHEWCREHAN HIGGINS.HE IS THE AVP OFENHANCED MEDICALSERVICES--AT "EVERGREENHEALTH SERVICES" INBUFFALO.HE SAYS THE BANCOMES FROM AN OLDNOTION--THAT GAY MEN ARE ATGREATER RISK OF HIVTHAN THE REST OFTHE POPULATION--BUT MOST ENGAGE INA HIGH LEVEL OFPREVENTION ANDTESTING.9.20.04 IF I GIVEMYSELF AS ANEXAMPLE, I AM 40-YEARS-OLD, I AM VERYHEALTHY, I AM ANEGATIVE, WHICH AS IUNDERSTAND IT, IS AFAIRLY UNCOMMON ORAT LEAST NEEDEDBLOOD TYPE AND SO I,AS MANY OF MY PEERSARE READY WHENEVERTHEY ARE AND THEREIS A NEED.

SO I THINKTHAT FEAR ISPREVENTING US FROMDOING GOOD 9.20.26IF THE FDA WERE TOLIFT THE BAN--GLAAD REPORTS 360-THOUSAND MENWOULD LIKELYDONATE--WHICH THEY SAY,COULD HELP MORETHAN A MILLIONPEOPLE.STILL TO COME ON 7EYEWITNESS NEWS AT6...WE'RE BREAKINGDOWN WHY LIQUORSTORES ARECONSIDEREDESSENTIAL...AND WHY SOMEPEOPLE SAY THATSHOULDN'T BE THECASE.AND LATER TODAY ONG-M-A, WHY THE F-D-APEOPLE SAY THATSHOULDN'T BE THECASE.AND LATER TODAY ONG-M-A, WHY THE F-D-AIS REQUESTING ALLZANTAC--BE REMOVED FROMSHELVESIMMEDIATELY... ANDWHAT YOU SHOULD DOIF YOU HAVE IT INYOUR MEDICINECABINET.