Texas blood donors (and probably donors elsewhere); also, medical abuses horror story.

[azurelunatic]

amberfox just heard that the Dallas area is dangerously low on O- and B- blood. So, if you're able, the vampires need you.

Edit: the BBC was hoaxed.
Not blood-related per se, but medical: ataniell93 found an article about HIV+ children under the care of the local government being subjected to drug trials without even the semblance of informed consent. WARNING: This is triggery as fuck, and the sort of thing you'd expect to read about in a country known for its public far-reaching human rights abuses, not NEW YORK FUCKING CITY. Even if you don't have the past to be triggered by same, it makes for very unhappy reading.

Comments

[pyrogenic.livejournal.com]

Just a few observations:

Minors cannot give informed (or any other kind of) consent. Consent must be given by their legal guardians. In this case that appears to be the ACS, who chose to "enroll" them in these "studies." In this sense, there was not necessarily any wrong-doing in the eyes of the law. Of course, if the trials themselves were inhumane, and they knew it, it would be something like willful neglect or participatory child abuse -- you may not consent to someone else abusing your kids; it is the same as abusing them yourself.

In another vein, orphans and wards of the state have been horribly mistreated as long as I can remember, if we believe the stories we've all heard.

Maybe I am really jaded, but I didn't find this story particularly suprising. Horrible, yes, but not surprising.

[azurelunatic]

If you're a jaded brat, what does that make me?

[raaven.livejournal.com]

In re: to the alleged HIV testing: an enlightening article (http://respectfulofotters.blogspot.com/2004_12_01_respectfulofotters_archive.html#110210791125514246).

[azurelunatic]

I got linked at that -- I'll be putting up the link when I'm a little less drunk. 'Cause I'm drunk now.

[raaven.livejournal.com]

::grins:: Linking while drunk can lead to some pretty bizarre things. Be careful. ;)

[azurelunatic]

I think I've sobered sufficiently now.

[azurelunatic]

Edited, with strikeout.