Blood donations in need after tragedy, but FDA ban on gay men blood donations remain in effect

The shooting at Pulse Orlando in the early morning hours June 12 left 50 people dead and more than 50 more injured. Many of the victims were rushed to Orlando Regional Medical Center, some requiring extensive surgical procedures.

Shortly after 10 a.m., the Florida-based, multi-city blood bank OneBlood posted a Facebook message.

“Please share! There is an urgent need for O-Negative, O-Positive and AB Plasma blood donors following a mass shooting in Orlando, Florida. Dozens of people have been injured and taken to area hospitals. The need for blood continues. All eligible O-Negative, O-Positive and AB donors are urged to please donate today,” the post read.

There were 14 blood buses throughout the Orlando area taking donations in addition to the 10 local donation centers. News outlets began to report on the need for blood and the post was shared over social media.

Reports spread through several outlets,falsely reporting that the ban on gay and bisexual men donating blood had been lifted.

Memes and posts started to pop up with the message, “No one will be turned away, all blood accepted (including gay men). They are screening all blood.”

It is unclear how the rumor started, but OneBlood promptly corrected it with a statement on the organization’s Facebook and Twitter in the early afternoon.

“All FDA guidelines remain in effect for blood donation. There are false reports circulating that FDA rules were being lifted. Not true,” they stated.

The ban on gay men giving blood was put in place in 1983 when the HIV epidemic was just beginning and there was no way to accurately test blood for the virus. The ban was intended to prevent any man who had been sexually active with another man at any point in his life from ever donating blood.

The ban was eased in 2015 when new legislation passed that allowed gay men to donate if they had been completely abstinent for one year or more. Many LGBT advocates maintain that even the adjusted ban is discriminatory.

Despite the communication mishap – which many took to social media to rant about – the turnout was immense. Lines of people were seen outside almost every donation location, with wait times to give as high as three hours at some sites. Many braved the heat and waited their turn to have blood taken.

By early afternoon, many donation centers had reached their capacity and had to start turning donors away. The centers urged those people to come back later in the week and make appointments to donate.

OneBlood continues to ask for a steady supply of donations and are booked at many of their centers for the next several weeks. If you want to donate blood, go to OneBlood.org to schedule an appointment to guarantee a spot.

 

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