blood drives

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Blood Donation Rules Changed—Likely for Good

New policy for gay men expected to stay in place

(Newser) - The US government Thursday eased restrictions on blood donations from gay men and other key groups because of a drop in the nation's blood supply triggered by the coronavirus outbreak. The Food and Drug Administration's new policy aims to allow tens of thousands more Americans to give blood,...

Judge to Offenders: Donate Blood or Go to Jail

Experts say judge's ultimatum was 'wrong in about 3,000 ways'

(Newser) - Last month, an Alabama judge gave a courtroom full of offenders a choice: donate blood or go to jail, the New York Times reports. “For your consideration, there’s a blood drive outside," Judge Marvin Wiggins told the offenders, who were there because they owed fees and fines....

Swine Flu Shrinks Nation's Blood Supply

Donor pool dries up amid absenteeism at schools, offices

(Newser) - America's blood supply is suffering from the H1N1 pandemic. Blood centers nationwide are seeing a drop in donations as school and businesses cancel blood drives because of absenteeism; they're also having to dump blood already donated as an increasing number of donors report flu-like symptoms after giving. Centers say they...

Berkeley Fights Donation Policy Without Protests

Instead of boycotting, gay students recruit substitute blood donors

(Newser) - Several San Francisco-area campuses have banned blood drives to protest federal policies preventing sexually active gay men from donating blood, but at UC-Berkeley, students are making a point without resorting to boycotts. Instead of withholding blood on grounds the 25-year-old FDA rule is discriminatory, Cal is encouraging gay students to...

School Breaks With Feds Over Gay Rights

San Jose State stops blood drives, cites FDA rule banning gays

(Newser) - Saying a federal directive aimed at keeping gay men from donating blood violates school non-discrimination policies, the president of a California university is stopping blood drives on campus, the San Jose Mercury News reports. In a campus-wide email, San Jose State University president Don Kassing says a ban on such...

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