Teen's eye donation rejected because he was gay

[shenmue]

http://www.advocate.com/health/2014/08/13/after-suicide-gay-teens-eye-donation-rejected-due-sexual-orientation

This story begins with heartbreaking sadness, and then gets even worse.

An Iowa teen committed suicide. Earlier, he had signed up to become an organ donor. They didn't want his eyes, though. Why? Because of a rule dating back to the Reagan era.



Have a fresh box of tissues to hand when you read the story. It's that sad.

[still_one]

1. I think there is also a restriction on gay men donating blood also

[winter is coming]

2. There is. Still. It's fucking ridiculous. n/t

[ballabosh]

3. It's always on the questionaire when I donate

Not if I'm gay, but if I've ever had sex with a man, ever.

[Yo_Mama]

9. It may be changed to only a five-year excllusion, but since the poor kid can't answer any questions

his eyes would still not be accepted.

The organ donor criteria are actually less restrictive on this issue than the blood donor criteria, but STILL, this kid's eyes would be rejected, because he couldn't answer the questions.

It's not just about HIV. There is concern of HTLV and hepatitis B and C, for example. There has been a quiet scholarly dispute between the EU and the US regarding what the EU perceives as our inadequate HTLV 1/2 testing for tissue, bone and organ transplantation:
http://www.ecdc.europa.eu/en/publications/Publications/20120620_RA_HTLV_Part2.pdf

With increasing infections among MSM in the US, this policy is not likely to be changed any time soon.

[1StrongBlackMan]

4. Because with the eyes of a gay man ...

The recipient might see the world differently?

We can't have that!

[Yo_Mama]

7. No, it's because such organs carry higher contagion risks.

Statistically, that is.

With a live organ donor, one can ask the patient questions to determine real risk. With a dead donor, you don't have that option.

This is the relevant portion of the FDA guidelines. They use a five-year MSM exclusion:
http://www.fda.gov/BiologicsBloodVaccines/GuidanceComplianceRegulatoryInformation/Guidances/Tissue/ucm073964.htm#DONORSCREENING1271.75

You have to assume that the poor kid had sex with another guy within those five years.

Other exclusions are persons who have been in detention for more than 72 hours in the preceding year. Most persons with a neurological problem or dementia problem. Persons who spent at least three months in the UK between 1980 and 1996, and most persons who have lived for at least three months in Europe for the contagion period.

Since the first licensed HIV Type O test, some of the restrictions in the guidance linked above are suspended if the screening center uses a licensed HIV Type O sensitive test:
http://www.fda.gov/BiologicsBloodVaccines/GuidanceComplianceRegulatoryInformation/Guidances/Blood/ucm180817.htm

[bullwinkle428]

5. Disgusting. I apologize on behalf of the entire state of Iowa.

K&R.

[Yo_Mama]

8. It's a federal government policy that controls the whole US.

There are good reasons for it, just as there are good reasons for the prion-related exclusions.

[Throd]

6. Can't be having any queer eye for the straight guy in Iowa.

[dflprincess]

10. As a Minnesotan I feel it odd to be defending Iowa

but this is a federal, not state rule. And, remember, Iowa was one of the first states to legalize same sex marriage.