Gay and bisexual men, plus transgender women, go soon fit donate blood and plasma for Australia under new rules wey go make donation more inclusive for everybody.
Lifeblood, wey be Australia national blood and plasma donation body, don announce say from July 14, dem go remove most of di sexual activity rules wey dey stop people from donate plasma. Dis change na part of wetin dem call world-class “plasma pathway,” wey go allow more people — even people wey dey use HIV-prevention drug like PrEP — to donate, if dem meet other requirements.
Before now, if person dey inside any of these groups and dem don get sex with man for past three months, dem no go allow am donate plasma. Dis same restriction still dey affect sex workers and women wey dey date bisexual men.
But now, Dr. Jo Pink, wey be Lifeblood Chief Medical Officer, talk say dis new plan fit increase plasma supply well-well. “We estimate say over 600,000 people dey affected by di old waiting rule. Now, we dey expect like 24,000 new donors and around 95,000 extra plasma donations every year,” she talk.
Plasma na di donation wey Australia need pass for now.
Lifeblood still talk say dem dey plan broader changes for how dem go take collect blood and platelet. With approval from di Therapeutic Goods Administration, new rule go remove gender-based questions. Instead, everybody — man or woman — go dey asked same kind question about their sexual activity.
According to di new rule, most people wey dey long-term and faithful relationship go fit donate blood. Even people wey get new partner or multiple partners fit still donate, as long as dem never get anal sex in di past three months. Dis one go end di old question wey dem dey always ask male donors about whether dem don sleep with another man.
Dr. Pink talk say, “Na big milestone be this, because e go help reduce waiting time and make e easier for people from LGBTQIA+ community to donate. Our number one priority still be safety, but we sabi say di current rules don make things hard for many people.”
