Urgent Blood Needed.

Agent Smith

The Irish Blood Transfusion Service is calling donors to give blood over the coming weeks and continued bad weather.

Stocks are running low, with people cancelling in the bad weather.

Can everyone who can, Please make sure they visit the Blood transfusion Service ASAP and donate. Apart from the free drinks and food, you will get the official South County Dublin Forum Thumbs up!

Locall 1850 731 137 for details of your local Clinic

Foxytocin

I would like to give blood but I can't because I lived in the UK for a while (and therefore must have mad cow disease).

Cookie_Monster

Foxytocin wrote: »

(and therefore must have mad cow disease).

sitstill

Agent Smith wrote: »

The Irish Blood Transfusion Service is calling donors to give blood over the coming weeks and continued bad weather.

Stocks are running low, with people cancelling in the bad weather.

Can everyone who can, Please make sure they visit the Blood transfusion Service ASAP and donate. Apart from the free drinks and food, you will get the official South County Dublin Forum Thumbs up!

Locall 1850 731 137 for details of your local Clinic

Just don't bother even trying if you're gay because we clearly have deficient blood :-(

delta_bravo

Off topic but I think you will find that no where on the donation form does it say that gay people are excluded

copacetic

delta_bravo wrote: »

Off topic but I think you will find that no where on the donation form does it say that gay people are excluded

Not sure about the form, but I've certainly been asked about homosexual activity as part of the list of questions every time I give blood. I assumed that meant if you were gay you couldn't donate.

Ron DMC

Technically they word in a way that makes it not exclude people who are gay, and instead exclude men who have "ever had sex with another man". So basically, gay virgins could still donate.

silverharp

do they still have that "stupid" rule that people living in the UK during the 90's were excluded, I used to give but from memory I'm a step away from being a mad cow

delta_bravo

Yes. I wouldnt call it a stupid rule. Its all based upon risk really.

Shuriken

The 'have you ever had sex with a homosexual man' question is from like the 80's or something , stupid rule but they wont update it, the actual nurses dont believe in it as the whole aids thing is more prevalent in hetrosexuals now anyway so if you want to eliminate risky people then eliminate everyone! No donations for anyone!!
But its just a backwards old rule that needs to be changed!

me-skywalker

Or instead of ticking siad box just don't tick it.

Now I know someone will say that is irresponsible blah blah but sexual orientation nowadays doesn't incarease the likely hood of Aids, lack of common sense however does.

steve9859

delta_bravo wrote: »

Yes. I wouldnt call it a stupid rule. Its all based upon risk really.

It is a stupid rule. If stocks of blood are running low, it means people are at genuine risk of dying due to being unable to get a transfusion. Compare that risk to the risk of getting mad cow disease from a donor who has lived in England. If I were in a car crash or something, I'd take my chances with the mad cows, thanks!

I'm sorry but the claims Of a blood shortage don't stack up when they refuse blood from someone who has lived in England!

Shuriken

Is it really a case of if you've lived in the UK between a certain time you cant donate for fear of passing on mad cow disease? But but the UKBTS is functioning just fine? They would have to turn away everyone if they were to follow our guidelines! Stupid rule!

steve9859

Shuriken wrote: »

Is it really a case of if you've lived in the UK between a certain time you cant donate for fear of passing on mad cow disease? But but the UKBTS is functioning just fine? They would have to turn away everyone if they were to follow our guidelines! Stupid rule!

It is true. Apparently the risk of becoming a mad cow is greater than the risk of dying on account of having no blood!!

delta_bravo

The IBTS are much more restrictive because of past history of people being infected in 1980s by Hep C from their bloody supply.

The ban on sexually active homosexuals from giving blood is also used in the UK. While people may not agree with it, it is an absolutely terrible idea to lie on form as suggested by me-skywalker.

Shuriken

delta_bravo wrote: »

The IBTS are much more restrictive because of past history of people being infected in 1980s by Hep C from their bloody supply.

The ban on sexually active homosexuals from giving blood is also used in the UK. While people may not agree with it, it is an absolutely terrible idea to lie on form as suggested by me-skywalker.

But you wouldnt lie to most of the questions, they are there to prevent infection getting out like the 'have you ever injected intravenous drugs or handled monkey faeces (which funny enough is a question)' but for homosexual sex, they cant determine by that question alone if you have aids, we all have the exact same chance of getting aids, striaght people even more so! So they are going to test everyones blood anyway so as far as I'd be concerned a persons sexual orientation is none of their business as it doesnt reflect on their chances of catching anything.

me-skywalker

delta_bravo wrote: »

The ban on sexually active homosexuals from giving blood is also used in the UK. While people may not agree with it, it is an absolutely terrible idea to lie on form as suggested by me-skywalker.

I understand why you would think. That view is so archaic though and there is no legitimate reason why if a homosexual person lied on the form they wouldn't be able to donate blood. The blood is all tested and the persons themselves, including people of straight orientation need to be respsonsible and also get regular check ups.
Its not as if there is a big conspiracy to infect people with AIDS.

SerialComplaint

me-skywalker wrote: »

I understand why you would think. That view is so archaic though and there is no legitimate reason why if a homosexual person lied on the form they wouldn't be able to donate blood. The blood is all tested and the persons themselves, including people of straight orientation need to be respsonsible and also get regular check ups.
Its not as if there is a big conspiracy to infect people with AIDS.

I presume you are an expert professional in storage and management of blood supplies - right? You wouldn't come out with an 'off-the-cuff' statement on such an important issue without knowing a lot about the issue - right?

Ron DMC

Guys, the debate on blood transfusion supply is an important one but this is not the place for it.

Locked.