New Sexual Activity Rules See More Australians Able To Donate Blood

New sexual activity rules confirmed by Australian Red Cross Lifeblood today will see more Australians eligible to donate blood.

From Monday 20 April, men will no longer be asked in the pre-donation questionnaire if they’ve recently had sex with a man. Instead, all donors, regardless of gender, will be asked the same sexual activity questions.

The changes will see more people able to donate blood, including gay and bisexual men and transgender people in long-term monogamous relationships, provided that they meet all other eligibility criteria.

The change follows the removal of sexual activity rules for plasma donations in July last year, which has already seen an extra 6,437 donations and more than 2,700 new donors.

In June, Lifeblood scrapped their ban on blood donation for sexually active gay and bi+ men, trans women and other AMAB gender-diverse people, with an estimated 626,500 people becoming eligible to donate.

Lifeblood CEO Stephen Cornelissen AM said the organisation has been working to make donation more inclusive while maintaining the safety of donated blood, which is critical for many patients in Australia.

“It’s been fantastic to see so many new donors rolling up their sleeves following the changes to our sexual activity rules for plasma last year,” he said.

“These additional changes to our blood donation eligibility are the next step, and we’re really looking forward to welcoming even more new donors to our centres from April.”

Wider rules for plasma donation

Most people in long-term monogamous relationships will be able to donate blood under the updated rules, and many of those who still remain ineligible will be able to donate plasma instead.

Cornelissen said the safety and well-being of patients who receive blood and plasma would always be foremost in Lifeblood’s decision-making.

“Evidence shows that we can now safely make this change and our submission approved by Australia’s regulator, the Therapeutic Goods Administration (TGA), included the latest research, risk modelling and community feedback,” he said.

“Being able to make this change safely and address donation rules that have been very difficult for many people in the LGBTQIA+ community is a significant milestone.

“We hope this progress continues the journey towards a more inclusive donation experience of which more Australians can commit to.  After all, one in three of us will rely on blood products sometime in our life and at present only 1 in 30 donate.”

Appointments to donate blood under the new gender-neutral rules can be booked from Monday 20 April 2026, with more information on the sexual activity rule changes available here.