World-first move opens plasma donation to more Australians this week
(CANBERRA, July 15, 2025) Starting this week, Australia has become the first country to remove nearly all sexual-activity-based restrictions on plasma donation, allowing HIV-negative gay and bisexual men, transgender people, sex workers, and those on PrEP to donate without delay.
Under the new rules, about 625,000 more Australians can now contribute to the nation’s plasma supply. Lifeblood expects around 24,000 additional donors this year, resulting in up to 95,000 more donations annually.
The changes come after detailed safety modelling showed no increased risk to the blood supply. “We are confident the safety of Australia’s plasma remains world-class,” said Lifeblood’s Chief Medical Officer Dr Jo Pink in the original article.
A further update in 2026 will introduce a gender-neutral risk assessment for all blood and plasma donors – removing outdated, orientation-based restrictions and shifting toward behaviour-based screening instead.
The shift has been welcomed by health advocates, with Health Equity Matters calling it a major step toward inclusion and scientific fairness.
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