Wait a second!
More handpicked essays just for you.
More handpicked essays just for you.
Don’t take our word for it - see why 10 million students trust us with their essay needs.
Recommended: Essays on blood donation
In 1983 the FDA put a ban on gay men from donating blood if they have had sex with another man since 1977 (Thrasher). Certain activists believe this ban is harsh and should be repealed. While it would be great if everyone in the country could donate blood, gay men are at higher risk for certain diseases such as HIV/AIDS. This increased risk makes it unwise to eliminate this ban. As stated by Mark Skinner in his article Science Should Dictate Policy, “blood donor deferrals are not judgments about individuals but are scientifically based”. Policy should not be based on the personal opinions of possible donors, but on scientific fact.
AIDS stands for acquired immunodeficiency syndrome and is caused by human immunodeficiency virus, or HIV. HIV is transmitted through blood and bodily secretions, specifically sexual secretions (Handsfield 157). HIV has an incubation period of 10-20 days after one is exposed to the virus (Handsfield 161), and can result in a variety of symptoms including an unexplained fever, a rash, or unexplained weight loss (Handsfield 163). If a patient has reached a diagnosis of AIDS, it means that person has reached a stage 3 HIV infection. This means the patient’s body has less than 200 lymphocyte cells per mm3 (Handsfield 162). Lymphocytes are a vital part of the immune system (Encyclopedia Britannica) and without them one is susceptible to many respiratory diseases, bacterial infections, and even certain types of cancer. These are things that a healthy person can fight off, but they end up being the probable cause of death in a patient with AIDS (Handsfield 162). AIDS and HIV are more commonly found among men that have sex with other men. This group is often referred to as MSM for short (Handsfield 157). The r...
... middle of paper ...
...13.
Goldsamnt, Lloyd A. "Prevalence of Sexually Acquired Antiretroviral Drug Resistance in a Community Sample of HIV-Positive Men Who Have Sex with Men in New York City." AIDS Patient Care & STDs 25.5 (2011): 287-93. Academic Search Complete. Web. 15 Nov. 2013.
Handsfield, H. Hunter, MD. Color Atlas and Synopsis of Sexually Transmitted Diseases. 3rd ed. China: McGraw-Hill COmpanies, 2011. Print.
"Lymphocyte". Encyclopædia Britannica. Encyclopædia Britannica Online. Encyclopædia Britannica Inc., 2013. Web. 15 Nov. 2013
Skinner, Mark. "Science Should Dictate Policy." U.S. News & World Report Aug. 2010: 10. Web.
Thrasher, Steven W. "Blood, Sex, and the FDA." Advocate 1032 (2009): n. pag.Academic Search Complete. Web. 15 Nov. 2013.
White-Ginder, Jeanne. "A Son's AIDS and a Legacy." Interview by Alex Witchell. The New York Times 24 Sept. 1992: n. pag. Web. 15 Nov. 2013.
It is a virus that gradually attacks the immune system, which is our body 's natural defence against illness. If a person becomes infected with HIV, they will find it harder to fight off infections and diseases. AIDS stands for acquired immune deficiency syndrome. AIDS is a syndrome caused by the HIV virus. It is when a person’s immune system is too weak to fight off infections, and develops when the HIV infection is very advanced.
The Movie “And the Band Played On” is the framework of the earliest years of the human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) and acquired immune deficiency syndrome (AIDS). Also known as the Gay disease. The movie examines HIV/AIDS epidemic in the United States in the earlier 1980’s and emphasizes on three crucial components. An immunologist with knowledge in eradicating smallpox and containing the Ebola virus, joins the Centers for Disease Control (CDC) to attempt and recognize just what this disease is. The film also deals the administration and government side that does not seem to care. The homosexual community in San Francisco is separated on the nature of the disease but also want to know what should be done
Way back when HIV and AIDS was first discovered, the gay men were the only ones that seemed to be infected with this disease, so at that time it was a reasonable rule to ban them from donating. But now we are in 2006 and every single gender, race, religion and group has been infected with HIV so to only ban gay men is unacceptable.
Donahue believes that censoring science is putting the United States at the same risk as not censoring. The author states “the effort to suppress scientific information reflects a dangerously outdated attitude.” Donahue supports this claim by explaining several cases in science where sharing information on microbiological studies have helped science move forward. The author mentions an article that was published describing how susceptible the United States milk supply is to the botulinum toxin. This article was suspended by the National Academy of Science because they believed it to be a “road map for terrorists” (p. 1). The author believes however, that instead of censoring such an article this information should be shared, this way other scientists will be able to discover ways to defend against terrorist attacks.
“And the Band Played On” was an HBO movie that illustrated the AIDS crisis in the 1980s and early 1990s. The movie touched on subjects concerning the reaction of the gay community, the heterosexual community, and the medical community. It showed not only the research in AIDS, but also the way that the US government dealt with it. The movie expressed the consequences the gay community suffered, the plight of the medical community in researching the disease, and the issue of government response to it.
Acquired Immune Deficiency Syndrome (AIDS) is a chronic, potentially life-threatening condition caused by the human immunodeficiency virus (HIV). AIDS weakens the immune system hampering the body’s defense mechanisms. AIDS is known to be a deadly disease, especially if it is not treated in a timely manner. AIDS and HIV is an epidemic that is increasing among the African American population with roots tracing back to Africa, AIDS and HIV needs greater exposure and more awareness within the African American community and in the homosexual community.
Fisher, Mary. “A Whisper of AIDS.” Republican National Convention. Houston Astrodome, Houston, TX. 19 Aug 1992. Address.
* Strader, J. Kelly; "Constitutional Challenges to the Criminalization of Same-Sex Sexual Activities: State Interest in HIV-AIDS Issues"; Denver University Law Review; Vol 70, No. 2; 1993, p. 337-357.
She did not survive the Reagan Administration. I am here because my son and I may not survive four more years of leaders who say they care, but do nothing.” In this appeal Mrs. Glaser is appealing to her audience’s emotions, especially the emotions one feels when talking about their family like love and empathy. She mentions that her daughter has died because of this disease and that her son and herself are dying as well to show that this is a disease that can affect anyone and that it is crucial to work on cures or vaccinations to prevent others from suffering the way her family has. No mother or father wants to watch their children suffer and die because of a disease, so Mrs. Glaser uses her experience to appeal to those emotions.
Rogers, Arthur. The Lancet Vol. 344: "European bioethics convention stalled again." 9 Julty 1994; 118.
This ban was originally brought enacted right at the start of the AIDS panic, when we had no reliable and fast way of checking for HIV, and this was therefore a necessary step to stop infected blood entering out blood banks then. This is however no longer the case as we understand how HIV is transmitted much better now and can detect it much more easily and quickly, therefore why would any rational and forward thinking nation refuse to allow such people to donate blood if they help people? Our politicians have increasingly been called “out of touch” by the younger generations, and given that gay rights is an issue (of which this is a part) which they have shown their support for in earnest this would be a way for our political leadership to show itself capable of following scientific evidence rather than sticking to historical precedent in spite of compelling
Janssens, Cecile. "How FDA and 23andMe Dance Around Evidence That Is Not There." The Huffington Post. TheHuffingtonPost.com, 27 Jan. 2014. Web. 22 Mar. 2014.
Fisher, Mary. "A Whisper of AIDS: Address to the Republican National Convention." Gifts of Speech. Republican National Committee, 19 Aug. 1992. Web. 5 Nov. 2013.
On November 7th, 1991, NBA star Ervin “Magic” Johnson announced that he tested positive for HIV and was retiring from basketball (7). Twenty plus years later Mr. Johnson is living proof that having HIV is not an automatic death sentence. When Mr. Johnson made his announcement, he gave the taboo topic of HIV/AIDS a very real and prominent public image. With his acknowledgement of being HIV positive spoken aloud, no longer could people put this disease into categories. Indeed, a rich heterosexual male not living in a third world country could contract HIV. HIV/AIDS is not only relegated to homosexuals or poor people.
This chart shows the number of HIV infections within different races and ethnicities in the United States.