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S.J. colleges may ban blood drives
SJSU update: Kassing met with FDA to talk policy
Jesse Kimbrel
Issue date: 3/11/08 Section: News
A board meeting will be held at San Jose City College on Tuesday to direct its chancellor to suspend blood drives on campus.
If the recommendation is approved, San Jose City and Evergreen community colleges will be the first higher-education institutions to ban blood drives on campus since SJSU's decision on Jan. 29.
The colleges' district governing board plans to recommend to its chancellor, Rosa Perez, "to suspend blood drives at the campuses as the (Food and Drug Administration) policy of a lifetime prohibition of donations by gay men violates our district discrimination policies," according to Tuesday's meeting agenda.
SJSU president Don Kassing decided to suspend blood drives because the FDA's policy conflicted with San Jose State's nondiscrimination policy.
Perez wasn't available for a telephone interview Monday afternoon.
The chancellor's office, however, said open session of the meeting would be at 7 p.m. at San Jose City College's Tech Building in Room T415.
SJSU update: Kassing met with FDA to talk policy
In another development, Kassing and associate vice president Larry Carr met with officials from the FDA in Washington, D.C., last week to discuss the FDA's blood donor policy.
Carr said he left the meeting, "perhaps a little disappointed and a little frustrated." Though, he added, "I don't think I had high expectations going into that."
He said FDA officials emphasized that the agency was a mechanism of regulation, not research, and that current medical science justifies its protocols.
Carr said the FDA doesn't believe it is its responsibility to look for new science or technology ¬- the research is left to a private market.
The FDA's policy is in place to protect the safety of the blood supply, said Karen Riley of the FDA's Center for Biologics Evaluation and Research.
Riley said additional scientific data would be needed to change the current policy, but right now there hasn't been any new scientific information presented for the FDA to review.
Carr said he believed the FDA doesn't have any plans to change the policy.
Riley said she understands there are tests available that can check blood for diseases, however, "there's a very small chance a test could fail and not detect a disease in the blood supply," she said.
The FDA's policy is not intended to discriminate against any specific groups of people; its purpose is to protect the blood supply, Riley said.
"The FDA's policy, whether backed by science or not, is in conflict with our nondiscriminatory policy," Carr said. "The publicity this has received raised awareness about the issue," Carr said, "and probably raised issues about the nation's blood supply."
If the recommendation is approved, San Jose City and Evergreen community colleges will be the first higher-education institutions to ban blood drives on campus since SJSU's decision on Jan. 29.
The colleges' district governing board plans to recommend to its chancellor, Rosa Perez, "to suspend blood drives at the campuses as the (Food and Drug Administration) policy of a lifetime prohibition of donations by gay men violates our district discrimination policies," according to Tuesday's meeting agenda.
SJSU president Don Kassing decided to suspend blood drives because the FDA's policy conflicted with San Jose State's nondiscrimination policy.
Perez wasn't available for a telephone interview Monday afternoon.
The chancellor's office, however, said open session of the meeting would be at 7 p.m. at San Jose City College's Tech Building in Room T415.
SJSU update: Kassing met with FDA to talk policy
In another development, Kassing and associate vice president Larry Carr met with officials from the FDA in Washington, D.C., last week to discuss the FDA's blood donor policy.
Carr said he left the meeting, "perhaps a little disappointed and a little frustrated." Though, he added, "I don't think I had high expectations going into that."
He said FDA officials emphasized that the agency was a mechanism of regulation, not research, and that current medical science justifies its protocols.
Carr said the FDA doesn't believe it is its responsibility to look for new science or technology ¬- the research is left to a private market.
The FDA's policy is in place to protect the safety of the blood supply, said Karen Riley of the FDA's Center for Biologics Evaluation and Research.
Riley said additional scientific data would be needed to change the current policy, but right now there hasn't been any new scientific information presented for the FDA to review.
Carr said he believed the FDA doesn't have any plans to change the policy.
Riley said she understands there are tests available that can check blood for diseases, however, "there's a very small chance a test could fail and not detect a disease in the blood supply," she said.
The FDA's policy is not intended to discriminate against any specific groups of people; its purpose is to protect the blood supply, Riley said.
"The FDA's policy, whether backed by science or not, is in conflict with our nondiscriminatory policy," Carr said. "The publicity this has received raised awareness about the issue," Carr said, "and probably raised issues about the nation's blood supply."
Viewing Comments 1 - 2 of 2
Ted Rudow III,MA
posted 3/11/08 @ 7:19 AM PST
If "to the pure all things are pure" and "all things are lawful unto me," and if, under this Law of grace and Love, extramarital sex and all of these other things are lawful, then where do things like sodomy fit in? If you are truly pure and loving, you wouldn't do such things, because they're definitely not good for you physically or spiritually, and they're hurtful. (Continued…)
Emily
posted 11/10/08 @ 3:17 PM PST
"If the recommendation is approved, San Jose City and Evergreen community colleges will be the first higher-education institutions to ban blood drives on campus since SJSU's decision on Jan. (Continued…)
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