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We have been working to progress gender-neutral assessments for blood and platelets donation — and they’re getting closer. The Therapeutic Goods Administration (TGA) has approved our submission to remove gender-based sexual activity rules. We are now working with state and territory governments, which need to approve a legal change to the donor questionnaire form in each state and territory. If approved, we expect to be able to implement these changes in 2026.
What questions Lifeblood is proposing to ask
If approved and implemented, we’ll no longer ask men if they’ve had sex with a man in the past three months, which meant a 3-month wait time since last sexual activity. Instead, everybody will be asked the same two questions about recent sexual activity, which will help assess:
- Whether they’ve had sex with someone new in the past 6 months?
- Whether they’ve had sex with more than one person in the past 6 months?
Both questions will exclude oral sex.
If a donor answers no to both, they won't be required to answer any further questions and can donate.
If they answer yes to either question, they'll then be asked if they’ve had anal sex in the past 3 months.
- If they answer no, they’ll be able to donate.
- If they answer yes, they’ll have to wait 6 months to donate blood, but can still donate plasma.
Most people — regardless of gender — who have had a single sexual partner for 6 months or more will be able to donate blood.
Why we’re planning to ask two questions in Australia
As part of extensive research with both non-donors and donors, we proposed three scenarios, including the gender-neutral questions. Research participants agreed that the set of questions Lifeblood chose were the best and the least confusing.
Asking two separate questions and then a sub-question is supported by research and used in other countries such as Canada and the US. It allows more donors to donate.
Why we'll ask about partners in the last 6 months
The majority of cases of new HIV passed on in a relationship occur in the first 6 months, depending on many things, including the frequency of sexual contact. This means that only those in new relationships will be asked about anal sex with new, or multiple partners, in the past three months.
Our proposal for change is based on Australian HIV data.
There will still be a wait time to donate for some
There will still be a 6 month wait time to donate blood for those who have had anal sex in the past three months with a new partner, and those having anal sex with more than one partner.
Unlike in other countries, people asked to wait to donate blood will be able to donate plasma immediately in Australia.
All countries, including those with gender-neutral or individual assessments in place, have a wait period for people with a new partner or multiple partners. This is because even the most advanced testing is unable to pick up the early stage of an infectious disease.
Australian HIV data shows that, for now, a 6-month wait is the safest option for Australian patients, but we are committed to reviewing this as more evidence becomes available.
Patient safety is at the heart of everything we do. These changes are underpinned by evidence and research that demonstrate safety.
Pre-exposure prophylaxis (PrEP)
People taking PrEP or post-exposure prophylaxis (PEP) may have low levels of HIV that can be missed during testing. That’s why anyone taking PrEP can’t donate blood for 12 months from their last dose.
However, they can donate plasma without a wait time, because plasma goes through a process called pathogen inactivation that eliminates the risk of HIV being passed on to a patient.
This will stay the same under gender-neutral assessments.
