More gay and bisexual men as well as transgender people in monogamous relationships may be eligible to donate blood and platelets for the first time in Australia under a change taking effect from today.
From Monday, April 20, 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 centres.
Lifeblood executive director Cath Stone said eligibility criteria for blood donation have been expanded after the Therapeutic Goods Administration (TGA) approved the removal of gender-based sexual activity rules last year.
She said since then, Lifeblood have been working with state and territory governments to implement the change to pre-donation questionnaires.
“We’re now able to now safely make changes that will enable gay and bisexual men and transgender people to donate blood and platelets,” Ms Stone said.
“We’re implementing today what we call a gender neutral assessment … everybody will be asked the same questions as it related to their eligibility to donate blood.”
Cath Stone says every donor will be asked the same sexual activity questions. (ABC News: Simon Tucci)
Ms Stone said previous restrictions, first introduced during the HIV pandemic in the 1980s, prevented gay and bisexual men and transgender people from donating blood products in Australia.
“This change has been a long time in the making,” she said.
Ms Stone says the organisation expects up to 20,000 new donations to be made each year under this eligibility update.
The change comes after most wait times for plasma donations were removed in July, which Lifeblood said had allowed 3,000 new donors to give almost 10,000 plasma donations.
Adelaide registered nurse Luke Moorcraft, welcomed the easing of restrictions and said he was excited to be able to donate blood for the first time.
Luke Moorcraft regularly donates plasma. (ABC News)
“I have family members that have suffered with cancer. I’ve worked frontline emergency department for 10 years and I’ve seen the need for it,” he said.
“So I feel like I’m doing my part and paying forward.
“I’d like to think that a lot of other people would go out there and donate as well if they have the opportunity.”
Mr Moorcraft and his husband have donated plasma 20 times since that rule was changed last year.
He said it was great to see the eligibility has expanded to reflect new research.
“It’s keeping people safe, but it’s also increasing the donor pool and being much more inclusive,” he said.
“If you don’t have blood or plasma or blood products available when you need it, then the patient essentially needs to go without, which is not good in trauma situations or people with chronic diseases or cancer treatment.”
Lifeblood hopes the change will increase the blood donor pool. (ABC News: Marco Catalano)
Ms Stone said Lifeblood regularly reviews its eligibility rules and scientific research currently available.
“We’ve done a broad range of research to understand what is the best, least confusing way to ask the questions that are important safeguards around the safety of our blood supply,” she said.