In April, Australian Red Cross Lifeblood introduced new blood donation eligibility rules to safely pave the way for gay and bisexual men and transgender people in long term monogamous relationships to donate blood and platelets.
Everyone is now asked the same questions before they donate regarding their sexual activity, regardless of gender or sexuality.
This important change is part of Lifeblood’s ongoing work to make donation more inclusive, while maintaining the safety of donated blood. Newly eligible people are encouraged to roll up their sleeves and join the donor community to help save lives.
The latest eligibility change comes after Lifeblood removed most sexual activity wait times for plasma donations in 2025, allowing many gay and bisexual men, transgender people, sex workers and people taking pre-exposure prophylaxis (PrEP) to donate.
Following that change, Lifeblood welcomed approximately 3,000 first-time donors who have collectively made close to 10,000 donations.
David Curry was one of the first people in Tasmania to donate blood after the recent rule change.
“It’s an amazing opportunity for people who wanted to donate but couldn’t in the past. It’s been a long time coming, and I think this is really going to matter to people who just want to be able to support their community.”
Blood and plasma donations help people from all walks of life, including those undergoing cancer treatment, women giving birth, or who have been involved in an accident.
Lifeblood has donor centres across Australia, and four donor centres in Tasmania. To book an appointment, visit lifeblood.com.au, call on 13 14 95, or download the Lifeblood app.
