January 29, 2013
CHP Canada – January 24, 2013
Canadian Blood Services
The source of blood donations is a vital part of maintaining a safe blood supply. Many of us remember the tainted blood scandal of the 1980s and the devastating effect on the lives of Canadians infected with Hepatitis C or HIV. For this reason, in Canada any man who has had sex with another man since 1977 is not accepted as a blood donor.
In December 2012, Canadian Blood Services reported that they had made official application to Health Canada to decrease this prohibition to men who have not had sex with another man in the past 5 years. It is important to understand that low dose HIV infection may not be detectible in the early stages following transmission by sexual contact. Will we accept the additional risk to our lives during a time of serious illness?
What risk are we talking about? The Ontario Ministry of Health and Long-term Care reported in 2007, statistical evidence which showed that the HIV infection rates for Males who have Sex with Males (MSM) in the Region of Toronto was 19.6% (1 in 5) and rising. This is 200 times greater than the rate for males from non-endemic countries who contract HIV solely through heterosexual contact.
In 2007, Canada Press reported on the legal resolution of the tainted blood scandal. The following excerpt shows how real the pain is for the surviving victims 20 years later.
“The Canadian Red Cross Society is deeply sorry for the injury and death caused to those who were infected . . . and for the suffering caused to families and loved ones of those who were harmed,” Dr. Pierre Duplessis, the organization’s secretary general, told the Ontario Superior Court in a video-taped apology as tearful victims looked on.
In 2010, the Ontario Superior Court prosecuted a man who had been charged by Canadian Blood Services for lying on his blood donor questionnaire about his sexual activity with other males.
“I accept that as individuals, many gay and bisexual MSM may experience a loss of dignity, a feeling of marginalization, a sense of disappointment, and a sense of injustice when denied the opportunity to give blood, and these reactions may be all the stronger and more poignant due to the history of discrimination experienced by gay and bisexual men,” Judge Aitken wrote in her 187-page decision.
“These are significant ramifications on the quality of life. That impact, however, is not in the same league as a blood recipient who has to use blood or blood products in order to survive or make life livable, and who is asked to accept lower safety standards even though an adequate supply of blood could be provided if higher safety standards were imposed,” the judge wrote.
What is happening at Canadian Blood Services that causes them to successfully charge a man in 2010 for lying about his male to male sexual activity and then in 2012 apply to Health Canada to lower the donor standards with regard to the MSM group?
Health Canada intends to provide their response to the application within the next 2 months and so your time to speak up is now.
We urge you to e-mail or call your MP and to be very strong in your opposition while maintaining courtesy. MP contact information can be found at this link simply by entering your postal code.
Also, please e-mail Prime Minister Harper about your concern at
[email protected] or call him at 613-992-4211.
It would be helpful for us if when you send your e-mails, you would ‘bcc’ CHP Canada National Office at
[email protected]Thank you for your support on this important health issue.
Jim Enos Candidate, Hamilton Mountain and
Irma DeVries, Candidate, Perth Wellington
Permanent link to this post (627 words, estimated 2:30 mins reading time)
