Calls for Australia to Follow NZ In Lifting Gay Blood Ban

Following the decision to remove a ‘gay blood ban’ in New Zealand, Australian’s are calling for similar actions here.

Medsafe in New Zealand has confirmed their decision to change the way blood and plasma donors are assessed.

A final step in the process is due to be implemented by next year.

New Zealand to lift gay blood ban
Currently in New Zealand gay and bisexual men and men who have sex with men have been prevented from donating unless they had abstained from sex for a period of at least three months.

However that will be set to change by the beginning of next year under new proposals that have been accepted by Medsafe allowing the New Zealand Blood Service to start colletions in 2026.

The move has the potential to increase the number of donations received in New Zealand and help thousands in needed.

In Australia the Let Us Give campaign are calling for Australia to follow suit, praising the changes in New Zealand.

Currently Australians face the same ban on donating blood and plasma as those in New Zealand.

“Gay men, bisexual men, transgender women and some non-binary people who have sex with men, are expected to abstain from sex for three months before giving blood because of outdated fears about HIV infection” they state on their website.

Rodney Croome, spokesperson for Let Us Give offered congratulations whilst calling for change here in Australia.

“We congratulate New Zealand’s blood authorities for taking a step that will mean a new source of safe for New Zealanders in need and less discrimination in blood collection” he said.

“New Zealand now joins the UK, US, Canada and an increasing number of other countries that assess all donors for their individual sexual risk, rather than barring entire groups regardless of individual risk.”

“We urge Australia’s blood authorities to follow New Zealand’s lead as quickly as possible, or risk being seen to maintain a blood collection system that is archaic, inefficient, discriminatory and out-of-step” he concluded.

There is hope that the changes could take effect here with Let Us Give stating “The Australian Red Cross Lifeblood Service has asked the Australian Government regulator, the Therapeutic Goods Administration, to lift the current gay blood ban and be allowed to assess donors on their individual risk.”