Australia expands blood donation eligibility for gay, bisexual men and transgender people
Consensus Summary
Starting April 20, 2026, Australian Red Cross Lifeblood will allow gay and bisexual men and transgender people in long-term monogamous relationships to donate blood and platelets for the first time. The change removes outdated gender-based sexual activity questions, replacing them with a gender-neutral assessment. This follows the Therapeutic Goods Administration’s approval in July 2025, which previously allowed LGBTQIA+ individuals and sex workers to donate plasma, resulting in 3,000 new donors and nearly 10,000 donations. The updated rules are expected to increase blood donations by up to 20,000 annually, driven by declining HIV cases and scientific evidence. Both sources emphasize that safety remains a priority, with the changes based on years of research and collaboration with governments and advocacy groups. Donors like Tim Thorpe and Luke Moorcraft expressed relief and excitement, noting the personal and community benefits of expanded eligibility.
✓ Verified by 2+ sources
Key details reported by multiple sources:
- Starting April 20, 2026, Australian Red Cross Lifeblood will remove gender-based sexual activity questions for blood and platelet donations, allowing gay and bisexual men and transgender people in long-term monogamous relationships to donate.
- The change follows the Therapeutic Goods Administration (TGA) approving the removal of gender-based sexual activity rules in July 2025, which previously allowed LGBTQIA+ people and sex workers to donate plasma.
- The updated rules are expected to enable up to 20,000 additional blood donations per year.
- The previous plasma donation rule change in July 2025 opened the door for 3,000 new donors, who gave almost 10,000 donations.
- Lifeblood chief executive Stephen Cornelissen and executive director Cath Stone both emphasized that safety remains a priority, with the changes based on declining HIV cases and scientific research.
- The new rules apply to donors in long-term monogamous relationships (six months or more for a single partner).
- The changes were implemented after years of collaboration with governments, LGBTQIA+ advocacy groups, and the TGA.
Points of Difference
Details reported by only one source:
- Donor Tim Thorpe expressed gratitude for the change, noting he wanted to donate blood to honor the system that supported his mother during chemotherapy in 2019.
- Lifeblood spokeswoman Jemma Falkenmire highlighted that new cases of HIV have declined in Australia over the last five years, contributing to the decision.
- The updated questionnaire excludes questions asking men if they have recently had sex with another man in the past three months.
- Luke Moorcraft, an Adelaide registered nurse, welcomed the change and said he and his husband have donated plasma 20 times since the July 2025 rule change.
- Cath Stone mentioned that previous restrictions were introduced during the HIV pandemic in the 1980s.
- Lifeblood regularly reviews eligibility rules and scientific research to ensure the best safeguards for blood supply safety.
Contradictions
Conflicting information between sources:
- The ABC article mentions Cath Stone as the executive director, while NEWSCOMAU refers to Stephen Cornelissen as the chief executive, without clarifying if they are the same person.
Source Articles
Major changes for Aussie blood donors
The new rules are expected to unlock up to 20,000 extra blood donations per year in a major milestone for inclusivity.
Blood donation eligibility expands for gay and bisexual men, transgender people
From today, Australian Red Cross Lifeblood will use gender-neutral assessments for blood and platelets donations.