In a milestone moment for health equity and LGBTQIA+ rights. Australia will soon lift its long-standing ban on blood and plasma donations from sexually-active, gay and bisexual men, transgender women, and sex workers. The move, coming into effect from July 14, marks a significant break from decades of outdated policy — and a welcome redefinition of what “safe” looks like in the world of blood donation.
Previously, individuals in these groups were prevented from donating plasma if they had had sex with men within the past three months, regardless of whether their sexual activity posed any actual risk. Now, for the first time, eligibility will be determined by individual risk behaviours, not sexual identity or gender.
The shift comes after rigorous safety assessments by the Therapeutic Goods Administration (TGA) and Lifeblood, with new findings confirming that Australia’s blood and plasma supplies will remain safe due to a processing step known as pathogen deactivation. That safety net, paired with updated screening questions, means many more Australians will now be able to participate in life-saving donations.
What will the changes look like in practice?
According to the Kirby Institute, the change opens the door for around 626,500 new donors, with an estimated 95,000 additional plasma donations expected annually. Lifeblood’s Chief Medical Officer, Dr Jo Pink, described the update as both timely and essential, noting that plasma is in critically high demand.
“We know the current donation rules have been very difficult for many people in the LGBTQIA+ community,” Dr Pink told the Sydney Morning Herald. “This change is a big step forward in making donation more inclusive, without compromising safety.”
From 2026, Lifeblood will also update its donor screening process, removing gender-specific questions. All potential donors —regardless of gender or sexuality — will be asked the same questions about recent sexual activity. Specifically, anyone who has had anal sex with a new or multiple partners will still be deferred from blood donation for three months, but they’ll be able to donate plasma immediately.
The updated guidelines also permit individuals taking HIV pre-exposure prophylaxis (PrEP) to donate plasma, though they’ll still be ineligible for blood donation for now. Individuals with sexual contact with someone known to carry a blood-borne virus will also remain deferred.
Still, it's a long-awaited win for the many Australians who have been excluded from donation not because of risk, but because of residual stigma rooted in the HIV/AIDS crisis of the 1980s.
