Image: Lifeblood
From today, Monday 20 April, thousands more Australians will be able to roll up their sleeves and donate blood, with new Lifeblood eligibility rules expanding access for gay and bisexual men and transgender people in long-term monogamous relationships.
The change marks a major step forward for blood donation in Australia. Under the updated rules, all donors will now be asked the same sexual activity questions before donating, regardless of gender. That means the previous gender-based screening approach has been removed, making the process more inclusive while keeping blood safety front and centre.
Australian Red Cross Lifeblood says the change has been a long time coming. For many people in the LGBTQIA+ community, previous rules meant they were unable to donate blood or platelets if they had sex within the past three months.
Now, many gay and bisexual men and transgender people in long-term, monogamous relationships will become eligible to donate blood and platelets for the first time.
Lifeblood Chief Executive Officer Stephen Cornelissen AM said the milestone had been shaped by years of research, consultation and advocacy.
“Previous donor rules prevented many people from the LGBTQIA+ community from donating blood or platelets if they’d had sex within the past three months,” he said.
“These latest changes mean many gay and bisexual men and transgender people in long-term, monogamous relationships will become eligible to donate blood or platelets for the first time.”
Lifeblood says patient safety remains the top priority, and not everyone will automatically become eligible to donate blood under the new system. The updated questionnaire asks all donors the same questions about recent sexual activity, including whether they have had sex with a new partner or more than one partner in the past six months. Oral sex is excluded from those questions.
For people who still aren’t eligible to donate blood, plasma may remain an option. Lifeblood’s earlier changes to plasma donation rules, introduced in July 2025, have already helped bring in 3,000 new donors who have made close to 10,000 plasma donations.
The rule change was approved by the Therapeutic Goods Administration after Lifeblood submitted research, risk modelling and community feedback. Lifeblood expects the change could lead to up to 20,000 extra blood donations each year.
That boost could make a real difference. Every week, Australia needs around 33,000 donations of blood, plasma and platelets to support people undergoing cancer treatment, those with bleeding disorders, trauma patients and many others.
For many Australians, today’s change is about more than eligibility. It is also about recognition, inclusion and the chance to contribute in a way they may have been excluded from before.
Anyone wanting to check their eligibility or book a donation can visit Lifeblood’s website or call 13 14 95.
