Morning Briefing
Summaries of health policy coverage from major news organizations
Deep Frustration Over Blood Donation Policies For Gay Men Inspires One Man To Donate Kidney To Stranger
In May, 24-year-old Crystal City resident Barton Lynch checked into MedStar Georgetown University Hospital to donate one of his kidneys—not to a friend or relative, but simply because he knew someone out there needed it more than he did. It was an extraordinary act of generosity, done out of a deep sense of frustration. For years, Lynch regularly gave blood as a way to honor his father, who was diagnosed with cancer during Lynch’s freshman year of college. However, recently Lynch, who works for a consulting firm, started dating both men and women and per FDA policy, all men who have sex with other men cannot donate their blood unless they refrain from same-sex intimacy for a year. (Newman, 7/11)
"Not that long ago I started dating guys, which now eliminates me from being able to donate blood. This frustrates me to no end, because I think it’s based on outdated science and outdated [HIV] scares," Lynch told the magazine. "So I needed to find a way to give back that wasn’t giving blood. I know the need is there for kidney donations, so it seemed like a no-brainer—how could I not?" he added. (Bowden, 7/11)
