Wednesday, June 18, 2025 - Gay and bis3xual men, as well as transgender women, will soon be eligible to donate blood and plasma in Australia under new rules aimed at making the donation process more inclusive.
Lifeblood, the country’s national blood and plasma donation
service, announced it will lift most sexual activity-related deferrals for
plasma donors starting 14 July. The changes are part of what officials have
called a world-leading “plasma pathway,” allowing more people, including those
who use HIV-preventative medication like PrEP, to donate if they meet all other
eligibility requirements.
Previously, individuals in these groups were barred from
donating plasma if they had sex with men in the past three months, a policy
originally designed to reduce the risk of HIV transmission. This restriction
also applied to s3x workers and women who had s3x with bis3xual men.
Dr. Jo Pink, Lifeblood’s chief medical officer, said the
shift could lead to a significant increase in plasma supply. “With more than
600,000 people estimated to be covered by the previous wait times, we now
anticipate an extra 24,000 donors and 95,000 extra donations of plasma to be
made each year,” she said.
Plasma is the donation type currently in highest demand
across the country.
The organization also confirmed that broader changes are
underway for blood and platelet donations. Following approval from the
Therapeutic Goods Administration, the new guidelines will remove
gender-specific questions, instead asking all donors about their s3xual
activity in a uniform way.
Under the updated rules, most people in long-term,
monogamous relationships will be eligible to donate blood. Those with new or
multiple partners will also be eligible, provided they have not had anal sex in
the past three months, a change that ends the longstanding question directed at
male donors about s3x with other men.
“This is a significant milestone in being able to safely
reduce wait times and make it easier for more people in the LGBTQIA+ community
to donate,” said Dr. Pink. “While safety is and always will be our top
priority, we know the current donation rules have been very difficult for many
people in the LGBTQIA+ community. They’ve contributed to stigma, and it’s time
for change.”
Dash Heath-Paynter, CEO of Health Equity Matters, welcomed
the announcement as a major breakthrough. “Members of the LGBTQIA+ community
can now help those whose lives depend on plasma donations, without a donation
deferral period,” he said. “These changes make Australia’s regulations among
the most progressive in the world.”
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