[ [link removed] ]Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez for Congress


Here’s the situation:

According to the American Red Cross, blood shortages in the United States
have reached crisis proportions due to the Covid-19 pandemic.^1

Despite these circumstances, the FDA still prohibits sexually active gay
and bisexual men from donating blood. This antiqued policy is not based on
current science, undermines efforts to stabilize our nation’s blood
supply, and perpetuates the stigmatization of the LGBTQIA+ community.

If the FDA were to reverse this ban and allow gay and bisexual men to
donate blood regardless of their sexual activity, up to 615,300 pints of
blood could potentially be added to the system each year.^2

That’s why Alexandria is joining Rep. Carolyn Maloney in urging the FDA to
revisit its current policy, so that every person who wishes to donate
blood safely in the United States has the opportunity to do so.

[ [link removed] ]Will you join Alexandria in urging the FDA lift this discriminatory
policy by sharing sharing your support on Twitter? Together we can
continue our fight to advocate for LGBTQIA+ individuals and public health.

Share on Twitter

Currently, the FDA states that it has no specific timeline or plan to
change its policy, which is why it’s so important that we show urgent
support for lifting this ban.

The FDA’s current policy dates back to the 1980s when gay and bisexual men
were considered to be at high risk for HIV and AIDS transmission.^3 But
while important advances in blood screening and safety technology have
been made, this policy has remained unchanged.

The fact is that policies like these continue to stigmatize the LGBTQIA+
community while blocking public health advances, and it’s time for change.

[ [link removed] ]If you agree that everyone who wishes to safely donate blood in the
United States should have the opportunity to do so, please join us in this
fight and share your support for lifting the blood ban on Twitter.

In solidarity,

Team AOC

P.S. Did you know there is a national blood crisis? The nation’s dangerously low blood supply
levels have forced some hospitals to defer patients from major surgery,
including organ transplants. [ [link removed] ]If you can help by donating blood, click
here to make an appointment with the Red Cross to give blood.

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1, 2 - [ [link removed] ]Consumer Reports

3 - [ [link removed] ]The Hill


 

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