Queensland’s Health Minister Shannon Fentiman says the ban on gay & bi men and some trans folks donating blood should be lifted.

Fentiman has written to her federal colleague Mark Butler and advocated for ““a more inclusive approach to blood donation in Australia”.

Fentiman is the first state health minister to publicly call for a change to occur. In her letter to Butler Fentiman urges the federal government to expedite the consideration of introducing individual risk assessments rather than using the long-standing blanket-ban, if the research supports making such a change.

“We know that many people who could safely donate blood, and who want to help others, are unable to do so under the current rules,” Fentiman said.

“Obviously, it is critical that we ensure our blood supply is safe for all Australians requiring a transfusion. We have seen individual risk assessment models operate safely and successfully in other countries.”

Lifeline, the arm of the Red Cross that operates blood donations in Australia has allowed gay ben to become donators of plasma, but not blood. In order to become a plasma gay men must abstain from sexual activity for three months.

The statement from Queensland’s Health Minister has been welcomed by the Let Us Give campaign who have been pushing for action on the issue.

“The Let Us Give campaign applauds the Queensland health minister for her stand in support of a safe and more equitable blood donor system.” said spokesperson Dr Sharon Dane.

“Assessing each donor for individual risk will maintain the safety of the blood supply while allowing much-needed donations from gay men, as well as bisexual men and trans women who have sex with men.

“This is why countries similar to Australia, like Canada, the UK and US, have lifted their gay blood bans and adopted individual risk assessment.”We urge federal health minister, Mark Butler, to listen to Queensland’s health minister, Shannon Fentiman, and move to adopt individual risk assessment as soon as possible.”We also urge the other states and territories to follow Queensland’s lead and support this overdue reform.”

Dr Dane said Let Us Give does not support the proposal to allow gay men to only donate plasma.

“The Red Cross Lifeblood’s proposal for gay men to be able to donate plasma but not whole blood will entrench a second-class status for gay donors.”

“The problems of a two-tiered donor system was identified by Canadian research and was one of the reasons Canada abandoned its plasma-only trial and moved to individual risk assessment for whole blood donation instead.”

“Plasma-only donation will be to blood donation what civil unions were to marriage equality, a poor substitute for equity and fairness.”

The Red Cross Lifeblood Service has proposed the abstinence period be lifted for blood plasma but not whole blood. The Federal Government’s Therapeutic Goods Administration has agreed, but the states must also agree.

Lifeblood has previously told OUTinPerth that changing the rules takes a long period of time. They say there is no evidence that allowing gay and bisexual men, and transgender women who have sex with men, to donate would lead to more people donating blood.

“There is no evidence to support a boost to blood donations. Despite this, it is safety that underpins any changes to blood rules.” the spokesperson said.

OIP Staff

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