New Rules Mean More Aussies Can Finally Give Plasma Including Gay And Bi Men
Australia Drops Discriminatory Blood Rules, Opening The Doors for 600,000 More Donors
From mid-July, Australia will finally allow gay and bisexual men, along with others previously excluded, to donate plasma, marking a huge shift in the country’s blood donation policy and a big win for equality and science. The Sydney Morning Herald reported that Lifeblood’s longstanding sexual activity rule will be dropped starting 14 July, ending a policy that has sidelined sexually active gay and bisexual men, transgender women, and others for years.
So, What’s Changing?
The current three-month celibacy rule for anyone who has had sex with men, including men in long-term relationships, will no longer apply to plasma donation. Instead, Lifeblood will focus on actual risk behaviour rather than identity. That means the updated screening will ask everyone the same question: have you had anal sex with a new or multiple partners in the past three months?
If you have, you’ll need to wait to donate blood, but you can still donate plasma immediately. This makes room for more inclusive and realistic policies, while keeping the nation’s supply safe thanks to pathogen deactivation in plasma processing.
Who Can Donate Now?
With the changes, more than 600,000 people across Australia will now be eligible to donate plasma, according to estimates from the Kirby Institute. Lifeblood expects to see around 24,000 new donors each year, which could result in 95,000 additional plasma donations annually.
People on PrEP, previously excluded, will now be allowed to give plasma too. However, they still won’t be eligible for blood donations due to current safety regulations.
What About Blood Donations?
For now, the blood donation rules still require a three-month wait for anyone who’s had anal sex with new or multiple partners. But a new questionnaire system is on the way, expected to roll out in 2026. It will remove gendered screening entirely and ask all donors the same sexual activity questions, no matter their gender or orientation. It’s a change Lifeblood says will bring greater consistency and fairness to the process.
One group that remains excluded? Anyone who’s had sex with a partner known to have a blood-borne virus.
Why Now?
Plasma is currently in high demand in Australia, used to treat serious illnesses, immune conditions, and trauma patients. So the timing of this change matters. Lifeblood’s Chief Medical Officer, Dr Jo Pink, said the decision was backed by extensive research and safety modelling.
“This is the type of donation most needed right now,” Dr Pink said. “We know the old rules were difficult for many in the LGBTQIA+ community, and this shift helps address that.”
Dr Pink also noted the push to change blood donation rules will continue, and new evidence will shape future updates.
What Are People Saying?
Matthew Mottola, 28, hasn’t been eligible to donate since high school. For him, this policy shift is more than symbolic. “It’s fantastic that the restrictions have finally been lifted for plasma donation,” he said. “Science has progressed, and so have we as a society.”
Many LGBTQIA+ advocates have spent years working alongside Lifeblood to challenge the outdated restrictions. The result is a more inclusive system that finally puts behaviour-based risk ahead of identity-based bans.
This update is proof that change is possible when science, advocacy, and lived experience come together. It’s a step toward a donation system that treats all Australians with fairness and respect, while still keeping safety first.
Australia becomes the first country to remove gendered restrictions of this kind while maintaining a strong screening process. It’s not perfect, but it’s a clear sign of progress – and a reason to roll up your sleeves.
