SYDNEY, 2025-06-18 00:56:00
Blood Donation Rules Eased for Gay, Bisexual Men
Australia is leading the world in loosening blood and plasma donation restrictions for gay and bisexual men and transgender women.
- Most restrictions on plasma donation related to sexual activity will be removed from July 14.
- Changes will allow more than 600,000 extra people to give blood.
- Future changes will apply the same sexual activity questions to all donors, regardless of gender or sexuality.
Are blood donation rules changing for the LGBTQIA+ community? Yes, significant changes are coming to blood and plasma donation rules in Australia, making it easier for gay and bisexual men, and others in the LGBTQIA+ community, to donate. Starting July 14, most restrictions on plasma donation related to sexual activity will be lifted.
Under current guidelines, men who have sex with men, as well as transgender women who have sex with men, are unable to donate blood or plasma if they’ve had sex in the past three months. But, the Australian Red Cross Lifeblood is changing the rules.
From July 14, the first wave of changes will remove most restrictions on plasma donation tied to sexual activity. Lifeblood calls this the “plasma pathway.” It means “most people, including gay and bisexual men, and anyone who takes PrEP, will be able to donate plasma without a wait period, providing they meet all other eligibility criteria.”
PrEP, or pre-exposure prophylaxis, involves HIV-negative individuals taking antiretroviral medication to prevent infection. Lifeblood has stated that research shows that the changes will not impact plasma supply safety.
Dr. Jo Pink, Lifeblood’s chief medical officer, noted that plasma is now the most needed donation. The change will open the door for over 600,000 additional people to donate blood. She told News Breakfast, “We’re excited to be able to welcome more people from across the community into our donor centres from next month.” She added, “We now anticipate an extra 24,000 donors and 95,000 extra donations of plasma to be made each year.”
Dash Heath-Paynter, the CEO of Health Equity Matters, said that the changes “potentially unlocks thousands of donations of life-saving plasma.” He added that members of the LGBQTIA+ community can now help those whose lives depend on plasma donations without a donation deferral period.
Plasma is now the donation that is most needed by Australians.
Additional Blood Donation Changes
Along with the plasma changes, Lifeblood is working on adjustments to blood and platelet donation rules. The Therapeutic Goods Administration (TGA) has approved a proposal to eliminate gender-based sexual activity rules.
Once the changes are implemented, all donors will be asked the same questions regarding sexual activity, regardless of gender or sexuality. Men will no longer be specifically asked about sex with other men before donating blood.
Changes to blood donation rules could come into effect next year.
Furthermore, individuals in a sexual relationship of six months or more with one partner will be eligible to donate blood. Most people with new or multiple partners can donate, provided they haven’t engaged in anal sex in the past three months.
Lifeblood has not announced a firm date for the changes, but Dr. Pink hopes for early next year. “There are many steps that Lifeblood needs to take before we can implement the new gender-neutral assessments, including working with state and territory governments to change the donor questionnaire,” Dr. Pink said. These changes to blood and plasma donation rules will “make it easier for more people in the LGBTQIA+ community to donate,” she added.
“We hope, as we move through the process of seeking to have both these changes introduced, that this will be a turning point for both Lifeblood and the LGBTQIA+ community.”
