Early 2021 Gay Blood Donation In Australia Will No Longer Be Complicated

Illustration (Pixabay)

JAKARTA - The Australian Fed Cross Lifeblood will ease restrictions on gay and bisexual blood donors early next year. Currently, Lifeblood rejects gay and bisexual donors who have had sex with men in the past 12 months.

Launching beat.com , Wednesday, October 14, in April, the Therapeutic Goods Administration (TGA) approved a proposal to reduce the celibate period (bachelors) to three months. A Lifeblood spokesman said the policy changes would take effect early next year.

"Earlier this year, Lifeblood made a request to the TGA to reduce the waiting time for donating blood for men who have sex with men from the current 12 months to three months since the last sexual contact," said a spokesman.

“TGA, the federal and state governments have all approved our submission. The changes will take effect in early 2021. "

The spokesman said Lifeblood was in the process of updating their system. Lifeblood is also working with state and territory governments to update questionnaire forms.

"Lifeblood wants to make it easier for all Australians to give blood, while ensuring Australian blood and blood products are as safe as possible for blood recipients," the spokesperson said.

Australia imposed a 12 month suspension period for gay donors in 2000. Previously, they were prohibited from donating blood at all.

The new policy follows similar reductions in the UK, Canada and the US from 12 months to three months.

Last weekend, the LGBTIQ advocacy group accused Lifeblood of adopting a double standard of completely removing a four-month suspension period for donors with tattoos on scientific grounds, but not for gay and bisexual men.

The group wanted a "more effective" blood donation policy that focused on "the safety of sexual activity, rather than the sex of the sexual partner.

A recent study found 78 percent of gay and bisexual Australian men would donate blood if allowed to. They did not, however, to comply with the current 12 month abstinence restrictions.

'One in three Australians need blood in their life'

Meanwhile, Tammy Franks of the Green Party of South Australia will submit a motion in his state parliament to prioritize changes this week.

“We know that blood doesn't have a long shelf life. We always need blood and blood donors, ”he said.

Franks said one in three Australians will need blood or blood products in their lifetime. One blood donation can save up to three lives.

"Continuing to discriminate against groups, such as men who have had sex with men in the past 12 months, is not only stigmatizing, but also not a best health practice," he said.

"Our approach must be based on science, not on stigma and ancient prejudices," he stressed.