US Edition
Australia 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.
28 Articles
28 Articles
Gay and bisexual men will soon be able to donate blood and plasma
AnnaStills/Getty ImagesMany gay and bisexual men have been excluded from donating blood and plasma (the liquid portion of blood) for decades because of rules developed during the HIV crisis in the 1980s. The Australian Red Cross’ blood donation arm, Lifeblood, has announced these restrictions will be lifted. This opens donation pathways for many gay and bisexual men, and other men who have sex with men. What’s changing for plasma donation? From …
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…
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