DEСEMBER 9, 2016
By Jeff Gerardy
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PAGE 5
City Calls for End to Ban on Certain Blood Donations
Proposed Bill May Encourage NYC Campaign Fraud istrict attorney Cyrus R. Vance Jr. expressed his concern by sending a letter to Council Speaker Melissa Mark-Viverito and other council members this week. According to the NY Times, he’s warning that one of their pending bills may potentially help those raising funds under the city’s matching funds program to commit fraud. Th program provides the opportunity to match any individual resident’s contribution of less than $175 up to six times. The proposed bill would allow candidates to fill out or make changes to contribution cards which are required to provide a donor’s identifying information, the date and amount of contributions. “This bill would eliminate an important safeguard against violations of campaign fin nce law and the defrauding of taxpayers,” said Mr. Vance. City Council officia replied that they would carefully consider Mr. Vance’s concerns when voting on the bill, which should be before January. Similarly last month, Chairwoman of NYC’s Campaign Finance Board, Rose Gill Hearn, opposed the contribution-card
NEW YORK
The Jewish Voice
Edited By JV Staff
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n Wednesday, November 30, the Health Department announced it has called on the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) to change its blood donor deferral policy for men who have sex with men (MSM). This would allow an estimated additional 360,600 men to donate 615,300 additional pints of blood each year, increasing the total annual blood supply in the United States by 2 to 4 percent and helping to save the lives of District attorney Cyrus R. Vance Jr. (pictured above) expressed his concern by sending a letter to Council Speaker Melissa Mark- more than 1.8 million people. New York City is the largest muViverito and other council members this week nicipality to call for a change to bill. She said it would make it how much lobbyists can donate the ban, joining a coalition of more difficult to detect fraud to candidates directly, unlimited advocates including, GMHC, involving the matching funds sums can be gifted together and Lambda Legal, and Treatment program. She also criticized given to candidates in the pro- Action Group (TAG). several other pending bills, in- cess of ‘bundling’. If the bundled funds can then cluding a proposal that would lay additional requirements on be matched, the influence of the The Health Department the board when a candidate contribution would be unduly emphasizes that its challenges its allegation of a magnifie . Also to be consid- recommended screening ered, is a bill that would limit process is an opportunity violation. The e are also long awaited how much lobbyists or others to increase HIV testing and widely supported legisla- doing business with the city can rates tions that will be voted on si- contribute to nonprofi groups multaneously. The e is a propos- created or controlled by electal to keep contributions bun- ed officials “These unwelcome The comment, submitted to dled by lobbyists excluded from proposals should not be the cost the FDA and co-authored by the matching-funds system. of implementing those reforms,” Health Commissioner Dr. Mary While there are strict limits on wrote Ms. Gill Hearn. T. Bassett, Commission on Human Rights Commissioner Carmelyn Malalis, and Department of Citywide Administrative Services (DCAS) Commissioner
A college student in a campaign of blood donation. (Photo Credit: Wikipedia)
Lisette Camilo, calls on the FDA to lift its current policy prohibiting men who have had sex with men in the last 12 months from donating blood, and replace it with an evidence-based, threestep screening process that does not exclude potential donors on the basis of sexual orientation or gender of their sex partners. This recommendation is based on the agency’s clinical expertise in sexually transmitted infection management and extensive community consultation and engagement. In its comment to the FDA, the Health Department proposed the following three-step process for all potential blood donors: Blood donation centers should conduct a behavioral risk screen-
ing for every potential donor, regardless of assigned sex at birth, gender identity, presumed or actual sexual orientation, and sexual history. This screening should ask potential donors about behaviors during the past six months, including: HIV testing and status: Potential donors who report having tested positive for HIV should be excluded from blood donation; Syringe use: Potential donors who report having used a syringe not prescribed by a physician should be excluded from blood donation; and Sexual risk-taking behavior: Potential donors, regardless of presumed or actual sexual orientation, who report having had condomless sex, regardless of sexual partners’ assigned sex at birth or current gender identity, should proceed to the step below. Potential donors who report having had condomless sex during the past six months should be offered on-site HIV testing. For this step, donation centers should use sensitive point-of-care rapid diagnostic tests that enable detection of HIV early in the course of infection. A deferral period based on the testing technology, on the order of weeks, may further supplement this strategy. Test results should direct potential donors as follows: Negative: Potential donors
New Jersey Imam Fights Deportation for Links to Hamas NYers with Chronic Pain Can Now Use Medical Marijuana
See City Calls for End , page 37
Controversial Imam Mohammad Qatanani appears in a U.S. court to fight deportation for lying on his green card application.
By: Meira Svirsky
By Hannah Hayes
C
ontroversial Imam Mohammad Qatanani will appear in a U.S. court to fi ht being deported for lying on his green card application. The case centers around the fact that Qatanani did not disclose that he was convicted by Israel for being a member of Hamas, designated as a Foreign Terrorist Organization by the U.S. Qatanani came to the U.S. on a religious work visa in 1996. The Department of Homeland Security’s deportation proceedings against Qatanani began in 2006. Eight years ago, an immigration judge decided not to deport him, a decision the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) appealed. Qatanani argues that he was never convicted by the Israelis after being detained by them for three months in 1993. He admits to having been a member of the Jordanian Muslim Brotherhood, but says he left it in 1991 because he got too busy. He came to the U.S. to lead the Islamic Center of Passaic County alongside Mohammed el-Mezain, who was one of the founders of the institution in 1989. El-Mezain was later sentenced to 15 years in prison for fundraising for Hamas. The mosque has extensive ties to Hamas and the Muslim
N Controversial NJ Imam Mohammad Qatanani came to the U.S. on a religious work visa in 1996. The Department of Homeland Security’s deportation proceedings against Qatanani began in 2006. Eight years ago, an immigration judge decided not to deport him, a decision the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) appealed.
Brotherhood. In addition, the DHS says that Qatanani’s brother-in-law, Mahmud al-Shuli, was a Hamas militant in the West Bank. Qatanani sent thousands of dollars to the West Bank in cash and the DHS described his explanation as to where the money went as “highly dubious.” A July, 24 2008 report by the N.J. Offic of Homeland Security about the Hamas networks in the state named only one person: Imam Qatanani. The credibility of the Israeli case against him is what Qatanani’s team is taking aim at. The immigration judge ruled in his favor, determining that the
Israeli evidence was weak. Th Board of Immigration Appeals then overturned that decision. TheDHS noted that three documents provided by the Israelis have been authenticated: A letter from the Israeli liaison, a verdict in Israel and indictment from the military court. The e documents confirm that Qatanani was convicted, the DHS argues. Qatanani “does not claim he was forced into making a confession” and admits that there was a trial process during his detention. Qatanani claims to be a promoter of interfaith relations and has been praised many times by See New Jersey Imam , page 38
ew Yorkers who suffer from chronic pain will soon be able to use medical marijuana to help get some relief. On Thursday, December 1, State Health Department officials announced that they were adding chronic pain to the list of disorders that warranted treatment with medical marijuana. Health Commissioner Dr. Howard A. Zucker said, "After conducting a thorough review of the scientific literature, it became clear that there may be certain benefits in the use of medical marijuana by patients suffering from chronic pain. Medical marijuana is already helping thousands of patients across New York State, and adding chronic pain as a qualifying condition will help more patients and further strengthen the program." The e are currently 10 condition and illnesses that can be treated with medical marijuana. The list includes: cancer, HIV infection or AIDS; Lou Gehrig's disease; Parkinson’s disease; multiple sclerosis; spinal damage; epilepsy; infl mmatory bowel disease; neuropathies; and Huntington’s disease. Advocates for medical marijuana have been worried that there were too many restriction on the program in New York,
Health Commissioner Dr. Howard Zucker said medical marijuana may benefit for those who suffer chronic pain.
so they rejoiced in response to Zucker’s announcement. The Drug Policy Alliance’s state director Kassandra Frederique said, “I think patients in New York deserve to run a victory lap over this. I think it is fair to say that this could affect thousands of patients in New York.” Early next year is likely when the new regulations will be implemented. Zucker said that in the coming days new regulations adding chronic pain to the list of certifi ble diseases will be draft d. This is the second major expansion in recent days of the year-old medical marijuana program in New York. WGRZ reports, “Last month, the health department agreed to
let nurse practitioners prescribe the drug, and it's in the process of letting physician assistants do so as well. To prescribe medical marijuana, medical professionals need to take an online course. Patients then need to get approval from their doctor and enroll online. New York has five certifie companies that grow and sell marijuana, and each has four dispensaries. The state is also considering expanding the number of companies that can sell and grow medical marijuana — as well as making public the list of doctors who can prescribe the drug.” At least 10,500 patients have been certified by over 740 doctors, since last January when the program was launched.