United Press International - Friday, April 13, 1990

Pat Hunter, blood bank spokesman, said the move was intended to deter anyone who suspects he has AIDS from using the bank as a free testing agency.

"We basically just want to, again, protect the blood supply and make sure that if there's anyone involved in high-risk behaviors, they defer themselves from donating," she said.

"I don't think it makes the blood supply safer," said Bill Calvert, district AIDS coordinator for the Department of Health and Rehabilitative Services. "I hope they will back down and not report their positives to us."

"We don't recommend they report names to us," he said. "We never have done that. The only reason according to policy that we will accept names from the bank is for the purpose of assisting the donor in partner identification services. We are not accepting names for lists. That is against the law."

The blood bank plans to begin releasing the names on Monday, but Calvert said until the HRS legal department had reviewed the release form used by the bank, his agency would reject them.

Donors will be asked to sign the form giving the bank the right to report HIV test results to the health department. If they refuse to sign, they will not be allowed to give blood, said Mary LaPlant, a blood bank spokeswoman.

"Basically, reporting, mandatory reporting, of HIV-infected or HIV-positive individuals is against the law," said Calvert. "To release an HIV record, whether it's negative or positive, you need the specific written consent, not just a general release form."

Calvert said if the release form is approved by department lawyers, the release of names to his agency would be legal.

Currently, any Central Florida Blood Bank donor who tests positive for the HIV virus is notified privately by the blood bank and given the names of agencies where he can receive help.

The blood bank tests all blood for the HIV virus, but recent findings indicate that the virus may hide in the body for up to 3 1/2 years before it is detected by standard AIDS tests. In most people, the virus is detectable within 12 weeks.

Calvert said his agency provides free AIDS testing, and as long as donors know that, there is no reason for the blood bank's mandatory notification rule.

"This insinuates the reporting of the donor to the health unit is a negative," Calvert said. "At no time would any negative outcome be the result of an HIV positive (test)," he said.

He said should the person not want help, the agency would not become involved.

Currently, male donors who indicate on a questionnaire that they have had sex with another man even one time since 1977 are turned away by the blood bank.

Also, a donor concerned about the embarrassment of admitting he may have the HIV virus may tag his blood bag with a "don't use" bar code that a computer would later detect and reject. Also, the donor is given an identification number and asked to call the blood bank later to tell workers if he suspects his blood is tainted, Hunter said.

"The (new) policy has also been endorsed by the American Medical Association," she said.

The Southwest Florida Blood Bank in Tampa has already implemented a similar program.
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