Australia's Red Cross Lifeblood: Gender-Neutral Donation Rules

0:00Starting April 20th, Australian Red Cross Lifeblood rolls out gender-neutral questions for blood and platelet donations. This opens eligibility to gay and bisexual men, plus transgender people who've had just one sexual partner for over six months. The goal is simple. Give more folks rolling up their sleeves to boost the supply. This shift comes after the therapeutic Goods Administration approved dropping old gender-based rules last year. Deathblood teamed up with state and territory governments to tweet the pre-donation questionnaires. Now everyone faces the same stray-forward questions about sexual activity to keep things safe and fair. Back in the 1980s during the HIV crisis, strict limits kept gay, bisexual men and trans people from donating. Executive Director Kath Stone calls it a long overdue update based on fresh science. They expect up to 20,000 extra donations a year from this change alone. Greater nurse Luke Moorecraft from Adelaide is pumped. He's donating blood for the first time after giving plasma 20 times with his husband since.

1:03Plasma way times ease last July. That move added 3,000 new donors and nearly 10,000 plasma gifts. He's seen the desperate knee firsthand in emergency rooms and cancer care. Lifeblood keeps reviewing rules with the latest research to balance safety and inclusion. Bigger donor pools mean fewer shortages for trauma patients and chronic illnesses, so if you're eligible, step up and make a difference. Local news, powered by AI, this is Sydney News Today.