Why the heck would they ask this?

ID:43947
 
Jun 9 2008, 1:17 pm
I'm applying to have my bone marrow type tested (one of my cousin has Leukemia) and while filling out an online application (the first step, to see if I meet the primary condition), the following question came up:

Male donors: Have you had sex with a man, even one time, since 1977?*
If female, please select "No"

OK, I can understand them asking if I had AIDS, kinda get the reason for the question "At any time since 1977, have you taken money or drugs for sex?*", but why worry about the above if you're just donating stem cells from the bone marrow? Afraid that the bone marrow may be damaged or just prejudice?

These questions are real, and in case you don't believe me (or want to sign up for bone marrow donation, which is always nice):

https://www.blood.ca/CentreApps/Internet/ UW_V502_MainEngine.nsf/page/ Join_OneMatch?OpenDocument&CloseMenu&p=OMSplashEnter

Oh, and today marks the day that I joined BYOND 5 years ago. Man, time passes by.
Jun 9 2008, 1:47 pm
I love the fact that it says, "If female, please select 'No'" Because we all know that women are immune to HIV.
Jun 10 2008, 6:48 pm
"OK, I can understand them asking if I had AIDS... but why worry about the above if you're just donating stem cells from the bone marrow? Afraid that the bone marrow may be damaged or just prejudice?"

Because they probably use the same questionnaire for bone marrow donations as they do for blood donations.

BlackBirdOmega wrote:
I love the fact that it says, "If female, please select 'No'" Because we all know that women are immune to HIV.

That's not the point. The fact is that in the beginning stages, AIDS was primarily transferred between gays, who often proceeded in unprotected sex because information on STDs was not so wide as it is today. It's nothing against gays, and they're not saying women are immune. They'd simply rather knock out poor candidates now rather than waste additional resources testing blood with a higher probability of having HIV/AIDS. Do I think this is great idea? No, they're probably losing quite a bit of good blood. But I don't think you nor I are in a position to judge the resources they have for testing.
Jun 11 2008, 1:59 am
I was being facetious because as the question is phrased, it shows that they would be less apt to check a womans blood for HIV. So, what if a woman donated her blood and they did not check it because she didn't seem to be a high risk? Well, then her blood could easily be infected. No matter how much blood they lose, if they infect one person with HIV because of insufficient standards, then they will be paying out the ass for years.