Can Gay People Donate A Kidney?

[escobarak]

I know that we aren't allowed to give blood (second class citizenship!), but what are the guildlines on kidney donation, I mean isn't a kidney a kidney and wouldn't it save a life? shouldn't whoever is making the rules have died by now or progressed in their ways of thinking and realized that not all gay people are pinpointed AIDS posterchildren. It's annoying and discriminatory.  Thoughts and help are appreciated.

[nursewratchet]

Of course you can donate a kidney. The same transplant workup applies.  You can donate blood in Texas, where are you?

[HSM]

Well I think it's stupid gay people can't give blood. I didn't know that. And I agree I would image a kidney is a kidney but I don't know a great deal about the actual transplant and the build up to it.

People lack understanding in such a big way on this planet right now. I think if I had a Christmas wish, I would wish that people could actually put themselves in another's shoes.

[RichardMEL]

what the...? where CAN'T gay people give blood? Sounds like a throw back to the initial HIV hysteria of the 80's to me... not to mention a stereotypical and discriminatory move. As far as I know if you're gay (or not) you can donate blood here subject to the usual screenings for HIV, Hep A/B/C etc etc. Why not?

[nursewratchet]

All of the screenings are nationwide, but again, I don't know about other countries.  Blood, kidneys, doesn't matter, it's all screened, and cleared. 

[okarol]

what the...? where CAN'T gay people give blood? Sounds like a throw back to the initial HIV hysteria of the 80's to me... not to mention a stereotypical and discriminatory move. As far as I know if you're gay (or not) you can donate blood here subject to the usual screenings for HIV, Hep A/B/C etc etc. Why not?

This is from 2005 so maybe things have changed: http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/f-news/1495739/posts "A Red Cross division in Australia will be forced to defend its refusal to accept blood donations from homosexuals..."

[okarol]

I know that we aren't allowed to give blood (second class citizenship!), but what are the guildlines on kidney donation, I mean isn't a kidney a kidney and wouldn't it save a life? shouldn't whoever is making the rules have died by now or progressed in their ways of thinking and realized that not all gay people are pinpointed AIDS posterchildren. It's annoying and discriminatory.  Thoughts and help are appreciated.

This is from Canada earlier this year:

Organ donor rules cut gay men
Provided by: Sun Media
Written by: CHRISTINA SPENCER
Jan. 9, 2008

New federal rules that strongly discourage sexually active gay men from donating kidneys, livers or other organs should be rethought, says the head of Canada's largest organ transplant program.

Dr. Gary Levy, director of the multi-organ transplant program for the University Health Network in Toronto, criticized the new rules for zeroing in on gay men as a specific health problem.

"In the past, the gay community was considered a high-risk community because of perception of high-risk behaviour," he said yesterday. "The fact is, if someone has 62 partners, whether its heterosexual or homosexual, there still is a risk."

The new regulations came into effect in late December after years of consultation by Health Canada.

They bring transplant programs across Canada under national safety standards to be enforced by the federal government through what Levy called "catch-up" regulations.

EXISTING STANDARDS

Broadly, the rules reflect standards already in place in provincial transplant programs, but instead of following voluntary guidelines, organ programs now must conform to national rules.

The rules include a long list of people who cannot donate because of the risk that their organs could transmit such illnesses as HIV, hepatitis B or hepatitis C. Among those excluded are "men who have had sex with other men in the preceding five years."

Others whose organs would be rejected include: Non-medical intravenous drug users; Anyone who has engaged in prostitution in the last five years; Inmates, or anyone who has been incarcerated for more than 72 consecutive hours in the previous year; People who have been tattooed or had an ear- or body-piercing in which the instruments were shared.

Families of potential organ donors are also given a thorough questionnaire about the deceased donor's health and habits to find out if other factors would exclude them from donating.

But it was the rejection of gay men as potential organ donors that was drawing fire yesterday, on radio talk shows and within the transplant community.

Levy said the federal regulations should have referred to high-risk behaviour -- such as multiple sexual partners among either gender -- rather than to a high-risk group.

http://chealth.canoe.ca/channel_health_news_details.asp?channel_id=16&relation_id=2261&news_channel_id=16&news_id=23981

[okarol]

I know a man who was donor. He met a woman, a stranger who needed a kidney, through MatchingDonors - he was gay- and he donated to her after being thoroughly evaluated by the transplant team. They are both doing great.

[RichardMEL]

wow. I'm honestly gobsmacked. I agree with the line that it doesn't matter if someone's had 62 partners - gay or hetro that they're still going to be a risk - it all depends on if they practice safe sex or not IMHO. If someone's gay is frankly irrelevant I would have thought...

but thanks for the links guys.

[mikey07840]

In the United States, GAY MEN can't donate blood. Lesbians, who are exempt from all disease and because they are considered "Hot" by straight men in power of course, can donate any time. 

Here is what is says (from the American Red Cross):
HIV, AIDS
You should not give blood if you have AIDS or have ever had a positive HIV test, or if you have done something that puts you at risk for becoming infected with HIV.

You are at risk for getting infected if you:

have ever used needles to take drugs, steroids, or anything not prescribed by your doctor
are a male who has had sexual contact with another male, even once, since 1977
have ever taken money, drugs or other payment for sex since 1977
have had sexual contact in the past 12 months with anyone described above
received clotting factor concentrates for a bleeding disorder such as hemophilia
were born in, or lived in, Cameroon, Central African Republic, Chad, Congo, Equatorial Guinea,Gabon, Niger, or Nigeria, since 1977.
since 1977, received a blood transfusion or medical treatment with a blood product in any of these countries, or
had sex with anyone who, since 1977, was born in or lived in any of these countries. Learn more about HIV Group O, and the specific African countries where it is found.

[escobarak]

Of course you can donate a kidney. The same transplant workup applies.  You can donate blood in Texas, where are you?

I'm in Anchorage, AK. But I was actually inquiring more because I have ESRD and am awaiting a transplant. I am a 23 y/o gay male, I have plenty of gay friends who want to go through the testing process, but I realized blood donation wasn't possible so I figured the climb would be even steeper still, so to speak.

[aharris2]

Question #1 - Are organs carefully and successfully screened for HIV and hepatitis? I think yes, but we know mistakes happen.
Question #2 - Are you willing to take the risk?

If so, DON'T TELL THEM!!!

This is a closed loop. The only one at risk is you, so the information regarding sexual orientation is none of their business.

Alene

[karen547]

I think as long as you are properly tested than you should be able to donate an organ! I cannot believe this world we live in at times!

[monrein]

I would accept any kidney that matches me, that is in good shape and that has gone through the appropriate and thorough testing.  I agree with Alene that your potential donor does not need to state his sexual orientation.  It would seem fairly obvious by now that gay people do not have the market cornered on multiple sexual partners and many people are not completely upfront about who they're "sleeping" with so testing is the key.
Good luck escobarak, and let us know if someone from your community steps forward for you.   

[jbeany]

Talk to your transplant team.  I see no reason why your gay friends shouldn't be allowed to give you a kidney.  They will all be carefully tested, so their sexual orientation shouldn't be any problem.  The point with the blood donation is that the Red Cross doesn't have the capability to test for everything in a half-hour blood donation session, so anyone, straight or gay, who has ever engaged in risky sexual behavior shouldn't donate.  The same standard shouldn't apply to living organ donation, since there is plenty of time to check for any possible disease that might be transmitted.

The thinking that says anyone gay is automatically promiscuous drives me crazy!

(As if ESRD isn't enough of a burden, you get to fight discrimination at the same time.)

[escobarak]

Question #1 - Are organs carefully and successfully screened for HIV and hepatitis? I think yes, but we know mistakes happen.
Question #2 - Are you willing to take the risk?

If so, DON'T TELL THEM!!!

This is a closed loop. The only one at risk is you, so the information regarding sexual orientation is none of their business.

Alene

Thanks, but it seems to me that during the process (interview) they will ask. I heard if they suspect, they will also ask your family. Its quite hard to believe but I have been google-ing away various threads with articles on it all morning. It's about time that the ACLU went to bat, not just for LGBT folks, but for sick folks who need donors dammit.   

[paris]

I personally know someone who is gay and has donated a kidney.   Also, my daughter is a director with the Aids Coalition of the Carolinas, and she has clients (HIV+) who are waiting for a transplant.     I was never asked anything about sexual orientation during the transplant work up process.  They asked if I did drugs, drank or had tattoos.  I had evaluations at two different transplant centers and neither asked.  I hope your interview goes well.  Please keep us updated.     

[okarol]

The screening about high risk activities is done when evaluating a donor, deceased or living.

It's true, you don't have to be gay to be in this category.

Unfortunately there is no perfect screening system. It is the choice of the recipient of whether or not to accept a particular organ, or take the risk of waiting for another suitable one.

Here's a recent article in the news http://ihatedialysis.com/forum/index.php?topic=11133.0

[escobarak]

The screening about high risk activities is done when evaluating a donor, deceased or living.

It's true, you don't have to be gay to be in this category.

Unfortunately there is no perfect screening system. It is the choice of the recipient of whether or not to accept a particular organ, or take the risk of waiting for another suitable one.

Here's a recent article in the news http://ihatedialysis.com/forum/index.php?topic=11133.0

wow. thanks karol that article was pretty disturbing. It seems like a load of crud that there isn't more thorough testing that can be done to identify if organs are infected with anything in particular. Those poor recipients. 








EDITED: Fixed quote tag error - okarol/admin

[nursewratchet]

That's terrible.  Come to Texas, you can donate here.

[idahospud]

I work in a hospital in WA. state and as far as I know gay's can donate blood her . I think thy shooed be able to Id tack blood thy test it and all so I'm not worried about it .                      Carol

[Kitsune]

I personally know someone who is gay and has donated a kidney.   Also, my daughter is a director with the Aids Coalition of the Carolinas, and she has clients (HIV+) who are waiting for a transplant.     I was never asked anything about sexual orientation during the transplant work up process.  They asked if I did drugs, drank or had tattoos.  I had evaluations at two different transplant centers and neither asked.  I hope your interview goes well.  Please keep us updated.     

I have two pierced eyebrows, a pierced navel, three holes in each ear and two tattoos and I'm on the list so I don't know why that would even be an issue unless you had them done in an unsanitary manner. Hmmm.

[RichardMEL]

On the list to receive is fine. I think the issue is for donors. IIRC here at least they DO ask if you've had tattoos in the past 12 months. not sure about piercings. Maybe it's because of elevated risk of hep B or something? not quite sure there but it was mentioned at a transplant seminar I went to.

[Wallyz]

Yah- Hep B risk. People with tattoos have 4x the infection rate.

[Kitsune]

Wallyz,

I have never known anyone who caught anything from body mods. The way you get infections from body mods is having them done in an unsafe and unsanitary manner, such as having your friend tattoo you with the same needle they used on someone else. Body mod studios are regulated by the state in most places and subjected to the rules and regulations of the Health Department in the city they are located in, which means that a Health Inspector can pop in anytime he or she feels the need. And the owner/operator will be fined and/or lose their license. Most don't feel it is worth it to re-use such cheap items as needles and ink cups for the sake of a couple of dollars. So this is an unfounded fear born out of medical hysteria.