ASHLAND, Ore. (AP) — Students at Southern Oregon University say they will cancel their blood drive this term because eligibility to donate discriminates against gay men.

Students say that goes against the university’s anti-discrimination policy and continues to label AIDS and HIV as a gay men’s disease.

David Adkins-Brown, SOU multicultural senator, said that is a misnomer that needs to be eradicated.

“From my understanding, it’s a rule they made up in the 1980s and people are not up to date,” he said.

Guidelines say males who have had same-sex encounters even once since 1977 are ineligible.

“I know I’ve been yelling about it for years,” said Daniel Conner. “I’m a gay man and I don’t like being forced to lie to help people.”

According to Lance Trainor, chief medical officer of the Portland-based Pacific Northwest region of the Red Cross, the guidelines are established by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration.

“It is a guideline given to the blood donation industry by the FDA and all blood collection industries are required to abide by that rule,” Trainor said.

“This was in response to the AIDS epidemic in the mid-1980s.” Trainor said the purpose is not to discriminate but to reduce risk.

According to the federal Centers for Disease Control and Prevention in Atlanta, men who have sex with men represent the largest proportion of new HIV infections at 42 percent. Next come heterosexual couples, then intravenous drug users.

Dr. Leslie Holness, medical officer for the division of blood applications for the FDA, said that although the screening process is not ideal, it is continuously reviewed.

“The committee is reluctant to change present guidelines if they seem to be protective,” Holness said.

“You have to balance how much good you’re doing with a safe blood supply with the bad feelings you’re stirring in groups of people,” he said.