CALL FOR AUSTRALIA TO FOLLOW N.Z. ON ALLOWING GAY BLOOD DONATION
The Let Us Give campaign has praised New Zealand’s blood authorities for lifting the ban on gay and bisexual men giving blood.
The New Zealand Blood Service will now update its screening process and is expected to start collecting blood from gay and bisexual men in 2026.
Let Us Give spokesperson, Rodney Croome, said,
“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.”
“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.”
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.
For a copy of this statement on the web, click here
For more information contact Rodney Croome on 0409 010 668.
