Blood Safety Risk as Red Cross Drops Restrictions on Homosexual Men Donating
Despite the elevated risk of HIV transmission, the Australian Red Cross Lifeblood is removing most restrictions on donating plasma from homosexual men, due to pressure to prioritise “inclusion” over safety.
Australia has long protected its blood supply with strict rules — for good reason.
Transfusion recipients, from newborns to cancer patients, rely on safe blood and plasma that is free from contamination and risk.
But from 14 July 2025, Red Cross Lifeblood will remove the waiting period for plasma donations from homosexual men.
Longstanding Blood Donation Rules
Previously, gay men had to abstain from sexual activity for a set time before donating, due to the elevated risk of HIV transmission in this demographic.
The ABC reported,
Under current rules, gay and bisexual men, and transgender women who have sex with men, cannot donate blood or plasma if they have had sex in the past three months.
But from July 14, in the first set of rule changes, Lifeblood will remove most restrictions on donating plasma related to sexual activity.
Gay men continue to be the major HIV risk exposure in Australia, accounting for 63% of HIV notifications in 2023, despite homosexuals only making up a small percentage of the population.
The new rules mean:
- Gay men will be allowed to donate plasma immediately, with no deferral period
- Broader changes are planned for blood and platelet donations from mid-to-late 2026, removing questions about the gender of sexual partners
These shifts come not because the risk has gone away, but because activists have pressured Lifeblood to prioritise “inclusion” over safety.
Removing blanket deferrals makes risk assessments less reliable and harder to enforce. The precautionary principle must apply — once blood is given, it cannot be taken back. This is not about discrimination. It is about science, safety, and protecting life.
Protect the Blood Supply – Keep the Ban on Gay Men Donating
We are calling on the Federal Government to intervene. We must keep the ban in place to preserve the integrity of Australia’s blood supply and protect vulnerable patients.
Send a quick message now to Health Minister Mark Butler through FamilyVoice’s simple email tool here.
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Originally published at FamilyVoice Australia.
Image via Adobe.
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So the newly donated plasma from practicing homosexual or bisexual or trans (wo)men will be kept specifically to be given to needy homosexual or bisexual or trans (wo)men ??
Sounds fairly reasonable.
Science in action :))
Specified inclusion.
When an ideological agenda trumps the science & community safety of others you have to ask whose interests are RED CROSS really looking to serve – an appalling decision.
Another “inclusion” ideology that puts Australian Lives at risk. Unbelievable!
I have lost faith in Red Cross although I still donate every 3 months.
If I needed a transfusion I would be very wary with the standards not being updated since the pandemic and now this.
I grow grain. It varies in volumetric weight , we often load it in a paddock on uneven ground into a variety of trucks, mostly relying on the advice of the driver. There’s plenty of room for error, however I share responsibility if it is overweight. It’s called Chain of Responsibility.
Who is responsible if a blood recipient contracts HIV ? What is the Chain of Responsibility?