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
Washingtonian: Meet The Virginia Guy Who Gave A Kidney To Protest The Blood-Donation Ban For Gay Men
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)
The Hill: Man Donates Kidney To Protest Ban On Blood Donation For Gay Men
"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 This frustrates me to no end, because I think it’s based on outdated science and outdated [HIV] scares," Lynch told the magazine.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)
