600,000 more people just became eligible donors

From Bondi to Busselton our donor centres have been buzzing with excitement as news spreads about changes to Lifeblood’s eligibility criteria. Now, more gay and bisexual men, transgender people, anyone taking PrEP (a medication to prevent HIV), and others excluded by previous sexual activity rules can donate plasma without a wait period. The successful launch of the Plasma Pathway marks a historic moment for Lifeblood, and more importantly, for countless Australians who can now save lives through plasma donation.

The response has been overwhelmingly positive. Leading LGBTQIA+ advocacy group Victoria Pride Lobby welcomed the changes: “Lifeblood has made blood and plasma donation more inclusive and accessible to as many people as possible, while maintaining the safety of the blood supply.” The life-saving impact of the change was also underscored by Health Equity Matters CEO Dash Heath: “This change potentially unlocks thousands of donations of life-saving plasma.” 

Our social channels have been flooded with messages of support. As one new donor shared, “My husband and I are going to donate plasma for the first time this afternoon. We’re very excited!” That excitement has been shared by everyone here at Lifeblood. These changes reflect years of dedicated work by our teams across research, policy, and operations and we are so happy to see them come into effect.

To our newest donors from the LGBTQIA+ community — welcome to the Lifeblood family. Your enthusiasm and commitment to helping others is inspiring and we’re thrilled to share the experience of giving life with you. By choosing to donate, you’re not just giving plasma, you’re helping us create a bigger and better life-saving community.  

Together, we're writing a new chapter in Australian healthcare — one plasma donation at a time.