Recently, the Red Cross refused to accept donated blood from the mayor and vice mayor of the town of Campbell, California due to the FDA's policy. Following this and other high-profile incidents, including the refusal of gay donors following the Boston Marathon bombings, I and a bipartisan, bicameral group of my colleagues in Congress have delivered a letter to Health and Human Services Secretary Kathleen Sebelius seeking clarification on the department's reassessment of the ban. The American Medical Association opposes the FDA's discriminatory and outdated restrictions, and it is long past time for the FDA to update its position as well. Other countries, including the United Kingdom, Italy, and Japan, have successfully lifted their bans on donations from gay men. If they can do it safely, so can we. As more elected officials join us to support reversing the ban, a strong and visible public show of support is critical to our effort to press the FDA to reverse its outdated policy, which is based on irrational fears. Please join us by signing my petition today. Will you join me and add your name to my petition to urge the FDA to end the ban on blood donations from gay men? Thank you for your support. Congressman Mike Honda |