Tasmanian ‘Gay Blood’ Inquiry Hears that Safe Sex Works, Academic likens ban to deferral on the grounds of being Jewish or Indigenous

An inquiry into the current ban on gay blood donation has heard that safe sex is effective in reducing HIV risk.

Social researcher, Associate Professor Anne Mitchell of Gay and Lesbian Health Victoria, today told the Tasmanian Anti-Discrimination Tribunal that risky sexual activity is not as widespread amongst gay and bisexual men as some studies suggest.

“The most compelling evidence of all for the effectiveness of safe sex is the simple fact that …when safe sex was taken on by men who have sex with men (msm) the escalation in infection rates was pegged back,” Professor Mitchell said.

“This made it immediately clear that the risk of HIV infection was not associated with male to male sex per se, rather it was associated with unsafe male to male sex.”

Responding to studies cited by the Red Cross which show higher rates of unsafe sex and multiple partners amongst men who have sex with men, Professor Mitchell pointed out that almost all these studies were designed to focus on risk-taking behaviour and not on the broader gay community, which is more diverse.

“Many of the samples in studies cited by the Red Cross are very small, recruited from men at high risk, and explicitly exclude men who practise safe sex in monogamous relationships – they are not representative of all men who have sex with men,” she pointed out

Prof. Mitchell noted a recent study which found that the chances of heterosexual HIV transmission may have been underestimated by 300%.

“In those whose behaviour is exclusively heterosexual, safe sex practices are less common …if there was an outbreak of HIV amongst heterosexuals in Australia it would clearly spread more rapidly than it would in the gay community.”

Professor Mitchell was giving evidence in a case taken by young gay man, Michael Cain, who is seeking to have the current blanket ban on gay blood donation replaced with a new policy that screens donors for the safety of their sexual activity.

Under questioning from the Red Cross, Prof Mitchell said she believes it is possible to craft a set of questions which would identify high risk activity.

Prof Mitchell also noted in her witness statement to the Tribunal that rejecting all gay men from blood donation stigmatises them.

“There is no evidence anywhere that people become gay by choice,” she told the inquiry.”

“The deferral of men who have sex with men is based on who they are rather than what they have recently done and can be likened to deferral on the grounds of being Jewish or Indigenous.”

Hearings continue tomorrow with evidence to be taken from two bio-ethicists, Dr Scott Halpern and Dr Leslie Cannold.

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Full Witness Statement to the Tribunal by Prof. Anne Mitchell  (UK Gay News, August 12, 2008).