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WHEREAS, every day in the United States, 43,200 people need life-saving blood transfusions; and,
WHEREAS, in 1983, during the height of the HIV/AIDS crisis in America, the United States Food and Drug Administration (FDA) banned the donation of blood by gay and bisexual males; and,
WHEREAS, despite advancements in treatment, prevention, education and testing as well as the FDA's release of new research confirming that the risk of contracting HIV from a blood transfusion has been reduced to one per two million units of blood donated, the policy remains unchanged today; and,
WHEREAS, the American Medical Association opposes the lifetime ban on blood donations and urges the FDA to adopt a more rational approach by allowing gay and bisexual males to donate blood based on each individual's own risk level and not on sexual orientation alone; and,
WHEREAS, the Williams Institute estimates that lifting the blood donation ban could increase the blood supply enough to save more than 650,000 lives annually; and,
WHEREAS, last year, filmmaker Ryan James Yezak, whose documentary shed light on the discriminatory and antiquated ban, used social media to organize the National Gay Blood Drive, in which straight allies can donate blood in place of gay and bisexual friends; and,
WHEREAS, this year, blood drives have been organized in thirty-seven cities nationwide, including Pittsburgh, during the weekend of July 11th-July 14th as a part of the second annual National Gay Blood Drive; and,
WHEREAS, Pittsburgh's Gay Blood Drive is occurring at Studio Raw at 3185 Babcock Boulevard on Monday, July 14th from 1 pm-7pm; and,
WHEREAS, Those interested in donating blood as a part of the National Gay Blood Drive can visit www.gayblooddrive.com
to learn more about the initiative and to make an appointment for a blood donation.
NOW, THEREFORE BE IT RESOLVED that the Council of the City of Pittsburgh does hereby recognize the organizers of the...
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