US EditionAustralia to scrap blood donation restrictions for gay and bisexual men, trans women
- Starting July 14, Australian Red Cross Lifeblood will eliminate most waiting periods related to recent sexual activity for plasma donors, enabling broader eligibility.
- This change follows Therapeutic Goods Administration approval to remove gender-based sexual activity rules, enabling all donors to answer uniform questions regardless of gender or sexuality.
- The new "plasma pathway" initiative enables the majority of individuals—such as gay and bisexual men and those taking PrEP—to give plasma immediately, as long as they satisfy all other eligibility requirements.
- Lifeblood expects to see a yearly increase of 24,000 donors and 95,000 additional plasma donations, and Chief Medical Officer Jo Pink describes this development as a major achievement, emphasizing that maintaining safety remains their highest priority.
- The changes are designed to lessen stigma, enable thousands of additional life-saving plasma donations, and potentially expand eligibility for blood donation by more than 600,000 individuals, representing a significant advancement for Lifeblood and the LGBTQIA+ community.
27 Articles
27 Articles
Sexual Activity Rules for Gay, Bisexual Plasma Donors Scrapped
From July 14, more Australians—including many from the LGBT community—will be able to donate plasma without a deferral period related to their sexual activity, according to a major policy update by the Australian Red Cross Lifeblood. The change removes a three-month waiting period for gay and bisexual men who have sex with men. Lifeblood said the new policy is based on extensive modelling and scientific data that confirmed no increased risk to t…
Australia changes rules on gay and bisexual men donating blood
Lifeblood, Australia’s national blood donation service, has changed its sexual activity eligibility rules, meaning gay and bisexual men will now be able to donate without staying celibate for three months prior. Current rules across Australia prevent gay and bisexual men and transgender women who have sex with men from donating either blood or plasma, if they’ve had sex in the three months preceding their appointment. Announced today, Lifeblood …
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