Australia lifts ban preventing gay men from donating blood and plasma
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Australia makes world-first change to blood donation rules
- Australia is set to lift its ban on sexually active gay and bisexual men from donating blood and plasma on 14 July, becoming the only country to remove all sexual activity-based restrictions for donating.
- The previous rules barred gay and bisexual men, and transgender women who have sex with men, from donating to decrease the risk of HIV transmission.
- Lifeblood, the national agency for donation services, estimates the change will allow over 600,000 more people to donate plasma.
- While people taking the HIV prevention drug PrEP can donate plasma, they are barred from donating blood. Those with HIV or with a partner with HIV are prevented from donating both blood and plasma.
- Lifeblood will implement gender-neutral assessments, asking all potential donors the same questions about sexual activity, regardless of gender or sexuality.