# Donated blood... HTLV-positive test results? **URL:** \ **Category:** Miscellaneous and Personal Stuff I Must Share\ **Created:** [January 31, 2003, 4:58pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/donated-blood-htlv-positive-test-results/151897 "2003-01-31T16:58:41Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 4\ **Page:** 2
**Author:** ![ASGuy](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/838e76/32.png) [@ASGuy](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/ASGuy)\ **Post date:** [July 22, 2013, 2:51pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/donated-blood-htlv-positive-test-results/151897/21 "2013-07-22T14:51:33Z")
As an old fart who has donated blood platelets for the last 35 years I commend you for making the effort to donate. In my long experience I’ve seen the Powers-That-Be (PTB) formulate donor qualification criteria that seem designed to eliminate every donor on the planet. Too much weight, too little weight, an obscure medical condition (like yours), having poison oak, etc. We all want a safe blood supply but sometimes… About eight or so years ago they formulated a rule that effectively eliminated ALL female donors, at least those donating platelets. It was in effect for about a year until screaming Blood Bank administrators managed to convince the PTB that the donor population could not be cut in HALF and sustain the blood supply. But you gave it a go, and until the rules change you are legitimately off the hook. So don’t feel like YOU are the problem. The rules are the problem, sometimes. BTW: I no longer donate whole blood because for some reason I also developed a half-dollar sized bruise at the stick point. Ouch. Doesn’t happen when I donate platelets. Hmn. ---
**Author:** ![MeanOldLady](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/meanoldlady/32/10737_2.png) [@MeanOldLady](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/MeanOldLady)\ **Post date:** [July 22, 2013, 4:35pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/donated-blood-htlv-positive-test-results/151897/22 "2013-07-22T16:35:37Z")
Yes, I realize this is a super zombie. Shut up. > [@BeaMyra](#): > > Well gay people are told not to donate even if their blood is 100% free of disease. Think how they feel Yeah, kind of insane. And the question is if you’re a male who’s ever had any homosexual sex AT ALL ever, banned from donating. ---
**Author:** ![Crotalus](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/crotalus/32/41_2.png) [@Crotalus](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Crotalus)\ **Post date:** [July 22, 2013, 4:49pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/donated-blood-htlv-positive-test-results/151897/23 "2013-07-22T16:49:41Z")
> [@MeanOldLady](#): > > Yes, I realize this is a super zombie. Shut up. This is a very special zombie. Resurrected 3 times, each time by first-time posters. And it’s about blood. ---
**Author:** ![The\_Lurker\_Above](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/dc4da7/32.png) [@The\_Lurker\_Above](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/The_Lurker_Above)\ **Post date:** [July 22, 2013, 5:57pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/donated-blood-htlv-positive-test-results/151897/24 "2013-07-22T17:57:09Z")
> [@Crotalus](#): > > This is a very special zombie. Resurrected 3 times, each time by first-time posters. And it’s about blood. If someone would mention vCJD we can start talking about brains… But seriously. The guys at the blood bank have to balance safety vs blood supply and pretty much set the criteria so that the risk of disease transmission is as low as possible while having just enough of the population qualified to donate. In Canada they’re just starting to relax the restrictions on men who’ve had sex with men. You’d still have to not have sex with another man for 5 years but any gay/bi/experimented in university men in Canada may now be able to donate. [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/donated-blood-htlv-positive-test-results/151897.md?page=1)