The Let Us Give campaign says allowing blood donation by gay men would help save lives as Australia’s blood supply plummets due to an unusually high number of New Year donation cancellations.
This week the Red Cross Lifeblood Service issued a statement saying there is an urgent need for blood donations.
“More than 6,500 people cancelled their donation appointments last week – the highest number of New Year week cancellations in three years. A further 14,000 people either rescheduled or did not attend their appointment. The donation drop-off at one of the most critical times of year means an extra 12,000 people are now urgently needed to book a donation this week to replenish low blood stocks.”
Let Us Give spokesperson, Rodney Croome, has highlighted that the service currently turns away man potential donors based on their sexuality and gender identity.
“Allowing blood donation by gay men, and bisexual men and transgender women who have sex with men, would alleviate the current shortage.”
“We estimate there would be over 12,000 new donors and over 50,000 new donations per year, if the current ban was lifted.”
“We want Australia to adopt the same donor policy as the UK, US and Canada where all donors, gay and straight, are screened for the safety of their sexual activity, not the gender of their sexual partner.” Croome said.
“We welcome Lifeblood’s in-principle support for this reform in Australia, but change is taking too long and, as a result, lives are being put at risk.”
Currently in Australia gay men, and bisexual men and transgender women who have sex with men, must abstain from sex for three months before they can give blood.
In the UK, US, Canada, the Netherlands and many other countries the sexual abstinence requirement has been lifted. All donors are asked if they have had anal sex with new or multiple partners in the last three months and are able to donate if they say “no”. There is no evidence this has increased the risk of disease transmission through transfusion.
In December 2023 Lifeblood said it supports lifting the current ban. It has since applied to the Therapeutic Goods Administration for permission.
This is no indication how long this will take or when gay men, and bisexual men and trans women who have sex with men, will be able to donate under the same conditions as everyone else.
