“Dear PoPville,
The Whitman-Walker Institute at LIZ on 14th and R St NW is partnering with the American Red Cross in Washington, DC, to reach out to gay and bisexual men about a new research study regarding blood donation eligibility. The study is called Assessing Donor Variability And New Concepts in Eligibility (ADVANCE).
The purpose of the ADVANCE study is to assess if specific questions may be able to determine individual HIV risk in men who have sex with men (MSM) in order to remove the current ban on gay and bisexual men from donating blood.
The Food and Drug Administration (FDA) makes blood donation policies that all blood centers in the country must follow. To keep the blood supply safe during the onset of the HIV crisis in the early 1980s, the FDA began recommending that sexually active MSM should not donate blood. In 2015, working groups and committees leveraged advanced HIV testing and screening techniques, and the lifetime ban for MSM was lifted–replaced by a 12-month restriction for sexual activity between MSM. During the COVID-19 pandemic, the FDA announced that they were reducing the deferral policy from 12-months to 3-months, which is a great step forward.
The ADVANCE Study is designed to understand if, by asking carefully crafted and research-informed screening questions, blood collectors can screen potential blood donors for their individual HIV risk factors rather than applying a ban against sexually active gay and bisexual men. The goal is to move away from overly broad questions that exclude potential donors and spread stigmatizing messages about MSM and their HIV risks.
Whitman-Walker is enthusiastically recruiting eligible men for this research study as it is our mission to advance scientific and policy initiatives that protect and uplift the LGBTQ+ community.
Interested in participating in the ADVANCE study? Check out the study website at www.ADVANCEstudy.org to learn more information and schedule an appointment.”
Recent Stories
Thanks to Cathy for sending: “rock creek parkway heading north 5:21pm. Just north of Georgwtown and below P St.”
From an email: “Nationals Park will be hosting Tacos & Tequila on Saturday, May 18th, from 4-7 p.m!
Thanks to Terry for sending this beauty. Sweet City Ride is made possible by readers like you!
Ed. Note: If this was you, please email [email protected] so I can put you in touch with OP. “Dear PoPville, Delayed but why not – Drew in the 76ers shirt
We’re about a month out from summer. That means you’ve still got time for spring cleaning!
Lexi Grant, an operations manager at Well-Paid Maids, shared her go-to spring cleaning tips with WTOP News. Step one? Declutter. Get rid of items you don’t use, find space for items that need a home and organize those areas.
Then, it’s time to dust. Lexi starts with high-touch surface areas (think: refrigerator, dishwasher, counters, microwave). One area she sees often neglected is the bedroom — and it makes sense. Heavy furniture is difficult to move around, but it’s important to really get in there so dust doesn’t affect your sleep.
In Commemoration of the 100th Anniversary of the Passing of Giacomo Puccini
The Washington Opera Society Presents
Giacomo Puccini’s “La Fanciulla del West”
Featuring: Jonathan Burton, Michael Butler, Kristin Sampson, Kevin Short, with Adam Cioffari, Andrew Boivert, Peter Burroughs, Collin Power, Josh Bates, Carl Rosenthal, Jude Regan, Jose Sacin, Solomon Collins, Anamer Castrello, Noah Mond, and Maestro Julian Benichou conducting the Chorus & Orchestra of the Washington Opera Society.
AAPI Market and Beer Tasting at metrobar
Join metrobar, SAMASAMA Art, and Kam and 46 on Sunday, May 19th, for the annual “Sari-Sari Pop-Up Market” including a new addition with the team at DC Beer, “Cheers & Beers: AAPI Brewers of the DMV“!
The market is free
Dance Like a Mother, a Benefit for First Shift Justice…
Join First Shift Justice Project at “Dance Like a Mother,” a fun house music party benefiting DC-area low-wage working parents & caregivers fighting workplace discrimination. First Shift helps working parents assert their workplace rights to prevent job loss. The money
