another. So why can't some people give blood? Is this science, or prejudice?

那為何有人不能捐血？ 背後真有科學根據或是偏見所致？

Hello humans, Trace here for DNews. Blood donation is seen by some, as a civil right.

大家好，我是DNews的Trace，有些人認為捐血等同公民權利

People making a sacrifice, literally weakening themselves, to help strangers. But, according

捐血損己利人，讓自己身體變得虛弱來幫助陌生人

to the FDA, men who have sex with men -- known as MSM -- aren't treated equally when it comes

不過，曾有過男男性行為的男性（MSM，men who have sex with men），在捐血一事上卻受到FDA不公平對待

to blood donation, and some have gone as far to imply they're banned from doing so. Firstly,

有些人甚至表示MSM遭禁無法捐血，首先，這並非事實

that's not true. Men who have sex with men, (as well as women and transgender persons

與MSM發生性行為的女性與跨性別者也同樣受到規範

who have sex with MSM) are all required to wait 12 months after their most recent risky

他們必須在最近一次風險性行為過後的一年才能捐血

sexual contact before they can donate. But they CAN donate.

但他們確實是能夠捐血

But does that even make sense? MSM populations have blood, we need blood… why not allow

不過這有道理嗎？ MSM族群願意捐血，而血庫也缺血

them donation? It all comes back to HIV. In 1981, a severe disease of epidemic proportions

為何要禁止他們捐血？ 這一切都是因為HIV的緣故

was spreading through the gay community, killing hundreds of thousands of men and women. At

1981年，有種嚴重流行疾病在同志社群間蔓延開來，奪走成千上萬人性命

first, it was called GRID -- gay-related immunodeficiency disease. Later, it was renamed the Acquired

一開始稱為「同性戀相關免疫缺陷」（gay-related immunodeficiency disease），簡稱 GRID

Immune Deficiency Syndrome (AIDS).

之後更名為「後天免疫缺乏症候群」，也就是愛滋病（AIDS）

AIDS put the public in a frenzy, and rightly so. 229-thousand people died due to AIDS from

當時全民陷入恐慌，這也不是毫無道理，1981至1992年間

1981 to 1992. And once it was discovered to be bloodborne, people realized some had acquired

共有22.9萬人死於愛滋，後來發現該病透過血液傳染

it through infected blood transfusion. So, the U.S. Food and Drug Administration decided

因而察覺到有人因輸血感染愛滋，因此美國FDA決定採取作為

to act passing a lifetime ban on blood donation from any men who had ever had sex with another

規定MSM族群終生不得捐血

man (again known as MSM -- men who have sex with men); this was in 1983...

當時是1983年

In 1985, a test called ELISA was invented which could detect antibodies created by the

1985年所發明的「ELISA」測試（酵素免疫分析法），能夠偵測HIV病毒感染所引發的抗體反應

human immune system in response to infection by the HIV virus which causes AIDS! So, now

而造成愛滋病的正是HIV病毒

that blood could be screened, we didn't need the ban, right? We just needed to know if

如今既然有了血液篩檢，這道禁令能夠因此廢除，對吧？

someone had HIV, and screen those who weren't sure! Right? Nope. The Ban remained until

只需知道誰患有HIV病毒，然後對不確定的人進行篩檢就可以吧？ 事實不然

2015, when it was revised to the current -- abstain from sex for a year, bro. Then come back.

這道禁令延續至2015年，才被修改成如今「禁止一年同性性行為」的樣貌

Even though, since 1987, HIV blood screening tests have become nearly 100 percent accurate,

自1987年開始，HIV血液篩檢的準確率近乎百分百

putting it on par with Hepatitis screening; MSM populations are still singled out. Which

不輸肺炎篩檢，即便如此，MSM族群仍被排除在捐血名單之外

is weird, because I'm pretty sure anal sex isn't confined to just gay, and bisexual men…

這很不合理，因為肛交行為絕對不只發生於同志或雙性戀族群

women can have anal intercourse, and can carry and spread HIV. So why aren't they subject

女性也可能從事肛交而感染、傳播HIV病毒，那為何他們卻能夠如常捐血？

to the same restrictions? Well, because 72 percent of new HIV infections occur in gay

這是因爲HIV新增感染病例裡頭，有 72%來自於同志族群

men, who only make up 2 percent of the population.

但同志卻僅佔總人口2%

Because of the thin lining of the rectum, unprotected anal intercourse is up to 18 times

由於肛門黏膜相當脆弱，比起陰道性交，無套肛交感染HIV的危險性高出18倍

more risky than vaginal sex. Blood and fluids are more easily exchanged, meaning HIV transmission

此外，HIV病毒更容易透過血液與體液傳染，傳染機率倍增

risk increases. But not everyone in the MSM community has HIV, or has unprotected sex.

不過，並非所有MSM族群的人都患有HIV或從事危險性行為

I mean, monogamous gay, transgender, and bisexual partners without HIV literally cannot spread

單一性伴侶的同性戀、雙性戀與跨性別者，若沒有感染HIV病毒

a virus they don't have! But they're subject to the same 12-month deferment.

怎樣都不可能傳染給另一半，但他們卻同樣受到一年禁令規範

So, yes, the original ban came from fear of the unknown; fear of AIDS and HIV drove the

當然，一開始的禁令源自於對未知的恐懼，由於害怕愛滋與HIV病毒，

FDA to simply eliminate the risk entirely, but now according to AIDS dot gov, we have

讓FDA意圖完全殲滅所有風險因素，不過根據政府愛滋官網

some of the safest blood in the world. Donated blood goes through more than a dozen screens

我們擁有的可說是全世界最安全的血液，這些血液歷經10多種篩檢與測試

and tests looking for evidence of West Nile, Syphilis, Hepatitis, HIV and parasites like

排除含有西尼羅、梅毒、肺炎、 HIV病毒與瘧疾寄生蟲等的血液

Malaria, among other things. And though it's perceived as unfair, the CDC and FDA believe

雖然此禁令看來並不公平，但CDC與FDA堅信

it's better to ask gay men to wait a year to ensure the HIV appears in the tests. That

為確保血液安全，規定同志等待一年才能捐血，確實有其必要

being said, The Columbia Medical Review writes that HIV infection can be tested accurately

不過，哥倫比亞醫學評論（The Columbia Medical Review）卻寫道，患者接觸HIV病毒兩週內便可驗出其是否感染

within two weeks of exposure, and in light of blood shortages, they recommend a new process:

而有鑒於血庫缺血，他們提出一套新程序

Simply this: ask everyone about their risky sexual behaviors before they donate blood:

那便是，詢問每個人捐血前是否從事過危險性行為

Men, women, transgender, non-binary, asexual, everyone. Then, those who are unsure of their

不論男女、跨性別、無性戀或是多元性別族群，所有人問的問題都一樣

HIV exposure, can be deferred until they're sure, and everyone else can donate frickin'

若有疑慮就等確定後才能捐血，如此一來，所有人都能捐血

blood. Especially since we're screening everyone anyway. As they put it, succinctly: a "lifetime

反正篩檢原本就是捐血必經程序，如同他們所說：

ban is medically and scientifically unwarranted."

「終生無法捐血，毫無醫學與科學根據」

According to the American Red Cross, someone needs blood every two seconds, and while 38

根據美國紅十字會資料，每2秒便有一人需要輸血

percent of the U.S. population could donate blood, only 10 percent does. Changing this

雖然全美可捐血人口達到38%，但真正身體力行的只有10%

deferment would mean more blood for everyone, even if it came from a dude who boned another

更改這條禁令，意味著更多人能捐血，即使血來自於MSM族群

dude, blood is blood is blood is blood…

血就是血，沒有兩樣

I mean it is, except when it's a different blood type. Why do we even have different

不過，不同血型當然是不一樣，為何我們的血型會不同？

blood types? And what happens if you put A blood into a B person? Find out from my blood-buddy

A型血輸至B型血型的人身上會有何結果？

Julian, right here.

我的死黨Julian在這影片會告訴你答案

What do y'all think? Should we take all the blood donations we can and screen later? How

你有何看法？ 我們應該接受所有人的捐血之後再行篩檢嗎？

do you feel about the so-called Blood Ban?

你對這條「MSM捐血禁令」有何看法？