71% fall in HIV infections among gay and bi men.

"we test every blood donation but there is a small possibility that very recent infections don’t get picked up but may still be passed on through blood."
but the same thing applies to straight people so i don't see the point

it seems like a small amount of infections slip through the net, and as gay people are the most likely group to have hiv they have decided to exclude them from giving blood to cut down on this.

Ahh gotcha, should have seen that coming. I was looking at an American pricing it seems.

wait why do gays get hiv

Isn't the blood screened anyway though?

I would have thought so, but there has got to be some reason for not letting them donate? ...maybe the tests aren't that accurate or something

gay men represent a small amount of the population yet over 50% of those diagnosed are gay.

The ban is there to protect people.

and i'm not being homophobic either. I'd welcome a ban on africans giving blood or any other place where the hiv rate is high.

Wow OK theres a lot here.
1) I suggest you read official statistics on HIV AIDS before you talk about how the ban is for safety. Here:
https://www.nat.org.uk/we-inform/HIV-statistics/UK-statistics
Not only was the amount of transmissions from gay and heterosexual sex practically identical, but statistically speaking trans people (meaning people like me) have the highest rate of transmission.
Also its really terrible to suggest a ban on an entire racial group donating blood, considering conditions like sickle cell anaemia can disproportionately affect black populations, and yes sometimes blood from different ethnic groups are needed for different procedures.
You seem really, really uneducated on this subject, no offence meant.

Wow OK theres a lot here.
1) I suggest you read official statistics on HIV AIDS before you talk about how the ban is for safety. Here:
https://www.nat.org.uk/we-inform/HIV-statistics/UK-statistics
Not only was the amount of transmissions from gay and heterosexual sex practically identical, but statistically speaking trans people (meaning people like me) have the highest rate of transmission.
Also its really terrible to suggest a ban on an entire racial group donating blood, considering conditions like sickle cell anaemia can disproportionately affect black populations, and yes sometimes blood from different ethnic groups are needed for different procedures.
You seem really, really uneducated on this subject, no offence meant.

Erm, MSMs are a much higher risk group! Have a look at this source - MSM transmission is practically identical to the entire heterosexual population, meaning the rate is much higher (probably at least 20x higher - depends how many gay men you think there are...) https://www.nat.org.uk/we-inform/HIV-statistics/UK-statistics

Trans people also shouldn't if they've had sex with a man or transgender person in the last 12 months. For the exact reason you state.

No racial group is banned - where did you get that from? People from high risk countries are banned, many of which are from Africa... quite different to what you said...

You make it sound like black people can only have 'black blood'. I assume you're talking about Ro subtypes... only a small subset of black people run into problems, and those problems can be dealt with by white-donated blood - its just a rare subset for them. We do need more black donors though that is true.

I can find no stats for this in the UK over what percentage of gays have HIV [although I did once many years ago, so here are US stats I found from a google search on gay men]

https://www.webmd.com/hiv-aids/news/20100923/1-in-5-gay-bi-men-have-hiv-nearly-half-dont-know#1


edit: found the UK stats https://www.standard.co.uk/news/health/one-in-seven-sexually-active-gay-men-in-london-lives-with-hiv-including-over-4000-people-who-dont-a3409406.html

But a 1 in 7 rate is HUGE imo

I also remember seeing some stats saying 5% of african women living in the UK have HIV as well [which is again, large imo]

It is indeed very high. Which makes it especially amazing how successful prep has been.

Interestingly there are major regional differences, with say London having a much higher rate.

Not sure why it's so high in London .... although, you would probably get more africans in London ....and from Looking at other stats African Gay men are the highest risk ethnic group

I suggest you read my Official Statistics:

https://www.tht.org.uk/hiv-and-sexual-health/about-hiv/hiv-statistics

"Of the 4,453 people diagnosed with HIV in the UK in 2018, 51% were gay or bisexual men.

Of the 1,550 heterosexual people diagnosed with HIV in 2018, 41% were black African men and women."


Like I said, I support a ban on them both.
It's unfortunate about sickle cell. If enough donors cannot be found then maybe the proposed ban needs rethinking/reworking

Mine were " Official Statistics" too?
If you want less donors fine, but you clearly and fundamentally misunderstand how HIV AIDS is transmitted, how it can be found within a system, how effective the medication and education is, and the fact that there are many people with HIV AIDS who get it by virtue of being born by someone who has it already.
Please actually get educated on this subject? I think it would benefit you.

you're the one who needs to get "educated"

Your talking as if you are the supreme authority on hiv/aids yet I was easily able to produce statistics to make you look uninformed.

1 in 7 in London.

That's HUGE. It is right to ban them from giving blood.

"The epidemic is largely concentrated among certain key populations, including men who have sex with men and black African populations."
how about we ban black african people from donating as well then? but nooo that would be 'racism' eh?

have you actually been reading my posts, or just reading the parts which suit you?

I said I support a ban on Africans [from Africa] giving blood and have stated this many times on this thread.

you're the one who needs to get "educated"

Your talking as if you are the supreme authority on hiv/aids yet I was easily able to produce statistics to make you look uninformed.

1 in 7 in London.

That's HUGE. It is right to ban them from giving blood.

when I could use your same statistics to say we cannot let a single person in London, especially the heterosexual and white ones, donate blood because its too risky.
Get over yourself?