In Australia, gay and bisexual men, as well as transgender people in monogamous relationships are now eligible to donate blood and platelets for the first time.
This was announced by Lifeblood, which is funded by Australian governments to provide life-giving blood, plasma, transplantation and biological products.
Moving forward, all donors — regardless of gender or sexual orientation — will be asked the same questions about recent sexual activity before they donate at Australian Red Cross Lifeblood centers.
According to Lifeblood’s executive director, Cath Stone, the eligibility criteria for blood donation was expanded after the Therapeutic Goods Administration (TGA) approved the removal of gender-based sexual activity rules in 2025.
The antiquated restrictions was introduced during the HIV pandemic in the 1980s, since the assumption was HIV was a “gay disease”, so that gay and bisexual men and transgender people were barred from donating blood products, including in Australia.
Now, Stone said, Lifeblood is “able to now safely make changes that will enable gay and bisexual men and transgender people to donate blood and platelets… We’re implementing today what we call a gender neutral assessment … everybody will be asked the same questions … related to their eligibility to donate blood.”
