Dear AAHIVM community,
Please join us in urging the FDA to eliminate the discriminatory, stigmatizing, and unscientific ban of men who have sex with men from donating blood and plasma. In the time of COVID this is more important than ever as we have a critical shortage of blood donations at this time. We agree with GLAAD and many other community advocates and organizations supporting the use of risk-based screening policies, as has been implemented safely and effectively in other countries. As HIV providers we know that NAAT testing yields results far sooner than the antiquated testing that this policy is based on. Today's FDA decision to reduce the waiting period from 12 months to 3 months does not go far enough - we need a complete elimination of this ban.
Please read and sign onto the letter HERE.
Please share widely!
In solidarity,
Monica Hahn, MD, MPH and Deborah Cohan, MD, MPH
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Monica U. Hahn, MD MPH MS AAHIVS
Assistant Clinical Professor, UCSF Department of Family & Community Medicine
Clinical Director and Co-PI, Pacific AIDS Education Training Center (PAETC) paetc.org
Site Co-Director of HIV Care and Education, Family Health Center
Co-Director of FCM Residency HIV Concentration Training Pathway & Family Health Center HIV Clinic
Lead Clinician, HIVE Clinic/Bay Area Perinatal AIDS Center (BAPAC) hiveonline.org
Director of Inquiry & Evaluation, UCSF PRIME-Urban Underserved meded.ucsf.edu/prime
Pronouns: She, Her, Hers