Should Atralia end rtrictns on gay and bisexual men donatg blood? | Health | The Guardian

Contents:

• WHY LGBTIQ+ ADVOT WANT ATRALIA'S 'GAY BLOOD BAN' TO ATRALIA IS PHG FOR AN END TO ATRALIA'S "GAY BLOOD BAN" FAVOUR OF A "MORE EQUABLE APPROACH" OF DIVIDUAL RISK ASSSMENTS.THOMAS BUXERE IS A GAY MAN WH A PARTNER OF 11 YEARS, AND N'T DONATE BLOOD UNR ATRALIA'S CURRENT L. SOURCE: SUPPLIED/THOMAS BUXEREWHEN THOMAS BUXERE HEARD THAT ATRALIA’S BLOOD SUPPLI WERE NNG LOW DUE TO THE COVID-19 PANMIC, HE WAS READY TO ROLL UP HIS SLEEVE AND HELP BY TAKG PART A BLOOD DONATN DRIVE AT HIS WORK.TO HIS DISAPPOTMENT, HE FOUND THAT AS A GAY MAN HE WOULD BE UNABLE TO GIVE BLOOD DUE TO THE ATRALIAN RED CROSS LIFEBLOOD SERVICE’S POLICY REQUIRG "MEN WHO HAVE SEX WH MEN" TO ABSTA OM SEXUAL ACTIVY FOR THREE MONTHS BEFORE DONATG. WHILE MR BUXERE HAD BEEN BLOCKED OM DONATG BLOOD THE PAST DUE TO HIS SEXUALY, HE HAD CID TO CHECK HIS ELIGIBILY AGA ON THE RED CROSS WEBSE LIGHT OF THE PANMIC’S H TO THE BLOOD SUPPLY, HOPG THAT THE L HAD CHANGED. “I WAS ALMOST PLEASANTLY SURPRISED IALLY … THEY'VE GOT THIS REALLY NICE ELIGIBILY CHECKER THAT GO THROUGH A WHOLE RANGE OF QUTNS, FELT MORE MORN AND MORE APPROPRIATE. THEN I GOT TO THE SAME QUTN WHICH ASKED ME ABOUT, YOU KNOW, SEXUAL PRACTIC," HE TOLD SBS NEWS. "AS A RULT, WAS AN IMMEDIATE ‘NO’. THERE WAS NO DIALOGUE … DIDN'T ASK ME WHETHER I'D TAKEN PART ANY RISKY BEHAVUR OR ANYTHG LIKE THAT. IT WAS JT, YOU KNOW, A RELATNSHIP BETWEEN A MAN AND A MAN, AND THAT'S , DONE. END OF STORY.” BEG BARRED OM DONATG BLOOD “MA ME FEEL HORRIBLE … LIKE WAS PURELY DISCRIMATN," THOMAS BUXERE SAID. SOURCE: AAPWHILE A RECENT CHANGE LIFEBLOOD’S POLICY RCED THE FERRAL PERD OM 12 MONTHS TO THREE MONTHS, MR BUXERE SAID HE STILL FEELS NEEDLSLY DISCRIMATED AGAST.  “IT MA ME FEEL HORRIBLE … LIKE WAS PURELY DISCRIMATN … THERE WAS NO SUBSTANCE, THERE WAS NO SCIENCE,” HE SAID. “THE FACT THAT YOU'RE A GAY MALE JT BANS YOU FOR THREE MONTHS ... REGARDLS OF WHETHER YOU ENGAGE SAFE SEX."A LABEL WAS PUT ON, AND AS A RULT, WAS THE END, THE END OF THE NVERSATN.”MR BUXERE WAS TRATED THAT HE WAS NOT ABLE TO DONATE LIFE-SAVG BLOOD TO HELP THE MUNY A TIME OF NEED. “THERE ARE PEOPLE THAT N BENEF OM MY BLOOD DONATN. AND DIDN'T MAKE SENSE AS A NATN, WHY WOULD YOU PREVENT SOMEONE WHO N HELP SOMEONE WHO'S GOT SAFE BLOOD? I DIDN'T GET THAT. I STILL DON'T GET THAT.”CAMPAIGN TO END 'GAY BLOOD BAN'LGBTIQ+ RIGHTS ADVOTE RODNEY CROOME HAS BEEN MPAIGNG FOR AN END TO THE “GAY BLOOD BAN” FOR THE PAST 15 YEARS."THE CURRENT BAN ON GAY BLOOD DONATN EFFECTIVELY SENDS A MSAGE THAT GAY MEN ARE A THREAT TO PUBLIC HEALTH, AND THAT'S NO LONGER AN APPROPRIATE MSAGE TO SEND, IF EVER WAS, ATRALIAN SOCIETY," MR CROOME TOLD SBS NEWS.HE IS VOLVED A NEW PETN OM ATRALIA, A NATNAL LOBBY AND ADVOCY GROUP REPRENTG THE TERTS AND PRRI OF THE LGBTIQ+ MUNY, TLED 'MEDIL SCIENCE AND TERNATNAL EXPERIENCE SHOW OUR BLOOD IS SAFE'. READ MORERELAXED RTRICTNS ON LGBTIQ+ BLOOD DONORS AMID RONAVIS PANMIC NOT ENOUGH, ADVOT SAYTHE PETN LLS ON THE ATRALIAN RED CROSS LIFEBLOOD SERVICE AND THE THERAPTIC GOODS ADMISTRATN "TO STUTE A NEW DONOR POLICY THAT SCREENS POTENTIAL DONORS FOR THEIR DIVIDUAL RISK, NOT THE GENR OF THEIR SEXUAL PARTNER”. “THE CURRENT POLICY, IMPOSG AN ABSTENCE PERD ON GAY, BISEXUAL, TRANSGENR AND GENR NON-NFORMG ATRALIANS WHO HAVE SEX WH MEN, LIMS THE SUPPLY OF SAFE BLOOD, AND STIGMATIS GAY, BI, TRANS AND NON-BARY PEOPLE AS A THREAT TO PUBLIC HEALTH,” READS. “OUR PETN AIMS TO HIGHLIGHT THE FACT THAT ATRALIA IS IGNORG TERNATNAL REARCH AND BT PRACTICE WHEN TO A SAFE AND FAIR BLOOD SUPPLY,” MR CROOME SAID.  LIFEBLOOD'S CURRENT "FERRAL" POLICY IS STIGMATISG AND DISCRIMATORY, HE SAID.  “THE CURRENT POLICY OF BANNG ALL MEN AND TRANS WOMEN WHO HAVE SEX WH MEN OM BLOOD DONATN IS OBVLY DISCRIMATORY BEE BANS AN ENTIRE GROUP OF PEOPLE OM PROVIDG AN SENTIAL PUBLIC SERVICE. “BUT WORSE THAN THAT, STIGMATIS ALL GAY, BI AND TRANS PEOPLE AS A THREAT TO PUBLIC HEALTH.”  ATRALIA 'FALLG BEHD'THE PETN FOLLOWS A REPORT MISSNED BY ATRALIA THAT REVIEWS CURRENT DATA AND MOLLG AND PAR BANS ON GAY BLOOD DONATN, SUCH AS ATRALIA'S, WH A POLICY OF SCREENG DONORS FOR THEIR DIVIDUAL RISK. “ATRALIA, TERTGLY ENOUGH, WAS THE FIRST UNTRY TO REMOVE A LIFETIME BAN ON DONATNS OM PEOPLE WHO ARE EMED TO BE ‘MEN WHO HAVE SEX WH MEN’, AND OTHER UNTRI THEN FOLLOWED SU,” REPORT THOR DR SHARON DANE TOLD SBS NEWS. DR SHARON DANE SAYS THE LATT REARCH SHOWS THE BLOOD BAN IS UNNECSARY. SOURCE: SBS NEWSHOWEVER, THE NATN IS NOW “FALLG BEHD”, SHE SAID, AS OTHER UNTRI CLUDG THE UNED KGDOM HAVE MOVED AWAY OM A POLICY OF A “FERRAL PERD” FAVOUR OF A “MORE EQUABLE APPROACH, WHICH IS THAT EVERYONE, IRRPECTIVE OF THEIR SEXUAL ORIENTATN, THEIR GENR OR THEIR PARTNER'S GENR, IS ASKED TO DO WHAT YOU LL AN DIVIDUAL ASSSMENT”. “SO THE RISK IS BASED ON YOUR SEXUAL BEHAVUR, RATHER THAN THE GROUP OF PEOPLE YOU BELONG TO. SO THIS STANCE, WHILE ATRALIA WAS A LEAR IALLY, IS NOW FALLG BEHD OTHERS.”THE LATT TERNATNAL REARCH SHOWS THERE IS NO MEANGFUL RISK ATTACHED TO LIFTG THE CURRENT ABSTENCE REQUIREMENT FOR BLOOD DONATN BY MEN, AND TRANS WOMEN, WHO HAVE SEX WH MEN, AND REPLACG WH A NEW POLICY OF SCREENG DONORS FOR THEIR DIVIDUAL SEXUAL SAFETY, DR DANE SAID.  "MOLLG SUGGTS THIS WOULD ACTUALLY CREASE THE AMOUNT OF SAFE BLOOD AVAILABLE TO THOSE NEED OF BLOOD PRODUCTS." INDIVIDUAL RISK ASSSMENTS REJECTEDLIFEBLOOD TOLD SBS NEWS THAT DIVIDUAL RISK ASSSMENTS ARE “NOT THE SAFT APPROACH AT THIS TIME” ATRALIA. “IN ATRALIA, A MAN HAS TO WA UNTIL THREE MONTHS AFTER THEIR LAST SEXUAL NTACT WH ANOTHER MAN BEFORE THEY N DONATE BLOOD. THIS IS BEE THE LATT ATRALIAN DATA SHOWS THERE'S STILL A MUCH HIGHER RISK OF NEWLY ACQUIRED HIV FECTNS AMONGST MEN WHO HAVE SEX WH MEN,” A LIFEBLOOD SPOKPERSON SAID.READ MORERED CROSS LLS FOR THOANDS OF NEW BLOOD DONORS TO AVOID AN ATRALIA-WI HOLIDAY SHORTAGE“WHILE WE TT ALL BLOOD DONATNS, EVEN THE VERY BT TTG [WHICH LIFEBLOOD ] N’T ALWAYS PICK UP EARLY FECTNS. SO, WE ASK PEOPLE TO WA BEFORE DONATG SO WE N ENSURE RECIPIENTS OF BLOOD ARE AS SAFE AS POSSIBLE OM LIFE-CHANGG FECTNS LIKE HIV.“WE NSIRED DIVIDUAL ASSSMENTS AS PART OF OUR RECENT REVIEW, BUT THEY REQUIRE A MORE EVEN DISTRIBUTN OF NEW HIV FECTNS ACROSS A UNTRY’S WHOLE POPULATN.” LIFEBLOOD TOLD SBS NEWS WOULD “NTUE TO MONOR AND REVIEW THE EVINCE RELATN TO DIVIDUAL RISK ASSSMENT” AND THAT THE ANISATN IS “EXPLORG OTHER PATHWAYS TO BROAN DONOR ELIGIBILY AND HOPE TO BE ABLE TO SHARE MORE ABOUT THE THE NEAR FUTURE”.THE PANMIC HAS SEEN BLOOD SUPPLI TAKE A H. SOURCE: RED CROSS LIFEBLOODMR CROOME SAID THAT WHILE IS “TE THE MAJORY OF NEW HIV FECTNS ARE AMONG GAY MEN” WHAT LIFEBLOOD “FAILS TO NOTE IS THAT THE OVERWHELMG MAJORY OF GAY MEN DO NOT HAVE, AND WILL NEVER HAVE HIV, BEE THEY HAVE SAFE SEX AND/OR THEY ARE MONOGAMO”.“THIS IS PRECISELY THE DISTCTN THAT DIVIDUAL RISK ASSSMENT IS SIGNED TO DRAW, BETWEEN THOSE WHO ARE SAFE TO GIVE BLOOD AND THOSE WHO AREN’T, BY ASKG ABOUT SEXUAL ACTIVY THAT ACTUALLY RISK,” HE SAID. “THAT DISTCTN APPLI EQUALLY TO HETEROSEXUAL PEOPLE WHO MAY NOT ONLY BE AT RISK OF NTRACTG AND PASSG ON HIV BUT ALSO OTHER BLOOD-BORNE DISEAS.”  IS TERTED TO TALK TO THE RED CROSS LIFEBLOOD SERVICE ABOUT THE OPTNS IS NSIRG, BUT BELIEV THE ONLY WAY TO ENSURE A SAFER, LS DISCRIMATORY BLOOD SUPPLY IS DIVIDUAL RISK ASSSMENT, MR CROOME SAID.AN ATRALIAN RED CROSS BLOOD DONOR CENTRE. SOURCE: ATRALIAN RED CROSS LIFEBLOODTGA TOLD SBS NEWS WAS “AWARE OF THE PETN AND IS REVIEWG THE REPORT MISSNED BY ;.  “THE TGA UNRSTANDS LIFEBLOOD CURRENTLY NSIRS THAT [THE] DIVIDUAL RISK ASSSMENT APPROACH IS NOT THE SAFT APPROACH AT THIS TIME ATRALIA.  THIS IS DUE TO AN UNEVEN DISTRIBUTN OF NEW HIV FECTNS ACROSS THE ATRALIAN POPULATN,” A TGA SPOKPERSON SAID. “LIFEBLOOD ARE EXPLORG OTHER PATHWAYS TO BROAN DONOR ELIGIBILY. THE TGA WILL NSIR ANY SUBMISSN OM A SPONSOR TO CHANGE S APPROACH TO THE FERRAL PERD, BASED ON DATA TO SUPPORT THE SAFETY OF SUCH A CHANGE.”SHARE8 M READPUBLISHED 29 OCTOBER 2021 7:13AMUPDATED 29 APRIL 2022 6:44AMBY ISABELLE LANESOURCE: SBS NEWSTAGSATRALIAATRALIASHARE THIS WH FAY AND IENDSCOPY LKSHAREREMEND FOR YOU
• THE US HAS BEE THE LATT NATN TO REMOVE S 'GAY BLOOD BAN'. WILL ATRALIA FOLLOW?THE UN STAT IS JOG UNTRI SUCH AS THE UNED KGDOM AND CANADA EASG S BLOOD DONATN RTRICTNS. WHY DON'T ATRALIA?SEVERAL NATNS HAVE EASED BLOOD DONATN RTRICTNS FOR MEN WHO HAVE SEX WH MEN (MSMS). SOURCE: AAP / DAN HIMBRECHTSKEY POTSATRALIA HAS RTRICTNS ON BLOOD DONATNS OM GAY AND BISEXUAL MEN, TRODUCED THE 1980SRIGHTS ADVOT WANT ATRALIA TO ADOPT THE SAME DIVIDUAL RISK ASSSMENT POLICY AS THE US, CANADA AND UK.CHANGG ATRALIA'S BLOOD DONATN L VOLV A "QUE PLEX" PROCS.THE UNED STAT' FOOD AND DG ADMISTRATN (FDA) ANNOUNCED LAST WEEK WOULD EASE S RTRICTNS ON BLOOD DONATNS FOR MEN WHO HAVE SEX WH MEN (MSM) AFTER PREV SCREENG L WERE LABELLED "HOMOPHOBIC".UNR THE CHANG, ALL PROSPECTIVE DONORS, REGARDLS OF THEIR SEX, GENR OR SEXUAL ORIENTATN, WILL BE ASKED A SERI OF QUTNS ABOUT THEIR LIFTYLE TO TERME THEIR ELIGIBILY — A PRACTICE KNOWN AS AN DIVIDUAL RISK ASSSMENT.IF THEY'VE HAD ANAL SEX WH NEW OR MULTIPLE PARTNERS THE PAST THREE MONTHS, THEY WON'T BE ALLOWED TO GIVE BLOOD. THOSE WHO HAVE TAKEN PRE-EXPOSURE PROPHYLAXIS (PREP) OR POST-EXPOSURE PROPHYLAXIS (PEP) — MEDITNS ED TO PREVENT HIV FECTN — MT ALSO FER DONATG BLOOD.THE POLICY CHANGE BRGS THE US POLICY LE WH UNTRI LIKE CANADA AND THE UNED KGDOM.READ MOREJOE WANTS TO DONATE BLOOD. HE N'T BEE OF HIS SEXUALYLET US GIVE MPAIGN SPOKPERSON RODNEY CROOME SAID ALSO HIGHLIGHTED HOW ATRALIA WAS "SLIPPG FURTHER AND FURTHER BEHD BT PRACTICE"."THE CURRENT ATRALIAN GAY BLOOD BAN FEELS LIKE A SLAP THE FACE," HE TOLD SBS NEWS."IT SENDS A MSAGE THAT GAY AND BISEXUAL MEN ARE A THREAT TO PUBLIC HEALTH, AND OUR NTRIBUTN TO SAVG THE LIV OF OTHERS ISN'T WELE. THAT'S A VERY STIGMATISG MSAGE — 'S BASILLY THAT WE'RE STILL SEND CLASS CIZENS."THE OTHER IMPACT OF THE CURRENT POLICY IS THAT MEANS THERE'S LS SAFE BLOOD AVAILABLE TO SAVE THE LIV OF THOSE NEED."MR CROOME SAID HE'D LIKE TO SEE ATRALIA ADOPT THE SAME DIVIDUAL RISK ASSSMENT POLICY AS THE US, CANADA AND UK.WHAT ARE ATRALIA'S BLOOD DONATN L AROUND SEXUAL ACTIVY?MORE THAN 1.7 LN BLOOD DONATNS ARE NEED EVERY YEAR TO MEET MAND, ACRDG TO THE ATRALIAN RED CROSS' LIFEBLOOD ANISATN.BUT THERE ARE CERTA L PLACE TERMG WHO N AND N'T GIVE BLOOD, ORR TO MATA THE SAFETY OF THE SUPPLY.RTRICTNS FOR GAY AND BISEXUAL MEN WERE TRODUCED THE 1980S AT THE HEIGHT OF THE HIV/AIDS EPIMIC OVER NCERNS OF TRANSMISSN THROUGH TRANSFN.WHILE THE L HAVE SOMEWHAT EASED SCE THEN, MOST MSMS AND PEOPLE WHO HAVE SEX WH MSMS ARE STILL ELIGIBLE TO GIVE BLOOD, AS THE TTS PERFORMED ON THEIR DONATNS ARE UNABLE TO TECT EARLY HIV FECTNS.CURRENTLY, ANYONE WHO ANSWERS 'Y' TO ANY OF THE QUTNS WILL HAVE TO WA THREE MONTHS BEFORE THEY'RE ALLOWED TO DONATE:HAD ORAL OR ANAL SEX WH ANOTHER MAN?HAD SEX WH A MALE WHO YOU THK MAY HAVE HAD ORAL OR ANAL SEX WH ANOTHER MAN?BEEN A MALE OR FEMALE SEX WORKER OR HAD SEX WH ONE?ENGAGED SEXUAL ACTIVY WH SOMEONE WHO EVER JECTED DGS NOT PRCRIBED BY A DOCTOR OR NTIST?ENGAGED SEXUAL ACTIVY WH SOMEONE WHO WAS FOUND TO HAVE HIV, HEPATIS B, HEPATIS C OR HUMAN T-LYMPHOTROPIC VIS (HTLV) FECTN?YOU MAY ALSO NEED TO WA TO DONATE IF YOU’VE HAD SEX WH A NEW PARTNER WHO LIV OR LIVED OVERSEAS, PENDG ON THE LEVEL OF HIV RISK THAT UNTRY.THERE ARE OTHER ELIGIBILY REQUIREMENTS TO BE ABLE TO DONATE BLOOD ATRALIA, AS WELL.HOW ARE ATRALIA'S BLOOD DONATN L CHANGED?LIFEBLOOD CHIEF MEDIL OFFICER DR JOANNE PK SAID ATRALIA'S APPROVAL PROCS FOR CHANG TO BLOOD SAFETY L WAS "QUE PLEX".THE FIRST STEP VOLV LIFEBLOOD MAKG A SUBMISSN TO THE THERAPTIC GOODS ADMISTRATN, ADVOTG FOR A CHANGE TO TAKE PLACE.IF THE TGA APPROV THE SUBMISSN, AGREEMENT THEN NEEDS TO BE SOUGHT OM STATE AND TERRORY ERNMENTS, AS WELL AS GLOBAL BTECH PANY CSL BEHRG, BEFORE IS IMPLEMENTED.READ MORE'BREAK THE STIGMA': BLOOD DONATNS ENURAGED FOR MIGRANTS ATRALIA AMID WORLD RERD ATTEMPTEARLIER THIS YEAR, LIFEBLOOD MA A SUBMISSN TO THE TGA PROPOSG ALL SEXUAL ACTIVY L BE REMOVED FOR PLASMA DONATN, CLUDG FOR THOSE TAKG PREP."WHAT'S REALLY EXCG ABOUT PLASMA IS THAT 'S GOT AN ADDNAL SAFETY PLANT LLED PATHOGEN ACTIVATN, AND WHAT THAT MEANS IS THAT THEY E A PROCS WHICH N KILL OFF OR REMOVE VIS AND BACTERIA," DR PK TOLD SBS NEWS."THAT PARTICULAR PROCS IS NOT CURRENTLY AVAILABLE FOR RED CELLS, SO WE'VE GOT MORE OPTNS WH PLASMA."TO BE ABLE TO OFFER THIS APPROACH WHOUT IMPACTG ON PATIENT SAFETY IS A POWERFUL AND CLIVE WAY TO POTENTIALLY ALLOW MORE PEOPLE ATRALIA TO HELP OTHERS."A TGA SPOKPERSON NFIRMED THE APPLITN WAS CURRENTLY BEG ASSSED."A CISN BY TGA IS EXPECTED THE NEAR FUTURE," THEY TOLD SBS NEWS A STATEMENT.MR CROOME SAID WHILE ANY CREASE ATRALIA'S BLOOD PRODUCT SUPPLY WOULD BE WELE, OTHER UNTRI' EXPERIENC SHOWED REMOVG L FOR PLASMA DONATN DIDN'T ADDRS THE MA PROBLEM."THE ISSUE IS NTUED DISCRIMATN THE SUPPLY OF WHOLE BLOOD, AND THE FACT THAT WHOLE BLOOD IS WHAT IS REGULARLY SHORT SUPPLY," HE SAID."IN CANADA AND ISRAEL THE LAST FEW YEARS, THEY ALLOWED GAY MEN TO GIVE PLASMA, BUT NOT WHOLE BLOOD, AND BOTH OF THOSE UNTRI, THEY FOUND THAT THAT WASN'T THE SOLUTN."PLASMA DONATN IS A MUCH MORE TIME NSUMG AND DIFFICULT PROCS THAN DONATG WHOLE BLOOD … SO THE AMOUNT OF PLASMA GIVEN DIDN'T CREASE VERY MUCH, AND OF URSE, THERE STILL NTUED TO BE A SHORTAGE OF WHOLE BLOOD AND DISCRIMATN THE LLECTN OF WHOLE BLOOD."ISRAEL AND CANADA ABANDONED THAT PATHWAY VERY QUICKLY, AND BOTH UNTRI MOVED ON TO ALLOWG GAY MEN TO DONATE WHOLE BLOOD."WILL LIFEBLOOD REMEND CHANG FOR MSM WHOLE BLOOD DONATN?LIFEBLOOD RECENTLY TABLISHED A REARCH ADVISORY PANEL TO CI WHETHER TO REMEND DIVIDUAL RISK ASSSMENT FOR BLOOD DONATNS, AND IF SO, HOW ULD BE BT ADAPTED TO SU ATRALIA.DR PK SAID SHE EXPECTED WOULD TAKE ONE TO TWO YEARS FOR LIFEBLOOD TO PLETE THE REARCH NEED TO REACH S CISN, BEFORE A SUBMISSN TO THE TGA WAS EVEN NSIRED."WE KNOW PEOPLE WANT CHANGE ON THIS LE, AND WE DO, TOO," SHE SAID.BUT ATRALIA ULDN'T SIMPLY TRODUCE NEW BLOOD SAFETY L BEE OTHER UNTRI HAD, DR PK SAID."IT IS IMPORTANT TO NSIR LOL HEALTH DATA, SUCH AS, FOR EXAMPLE, HOW MON HIV IS ACROSS THE POPULATN, AND WHETHER THERE ARE PARTICULAR GROUPS OF DIVIDUALS WHO MAY HAVE A HIGHER CHANCE OF RRYG THE FECTN," SHE SAID."WH ATRALIA, THERE ARE TWO MA GROUPS WHO HAVE A HIGHER RISK OF HIV, THAT'S GAY AND BISEXUAL MEN, BUT ALSO, THERE IS A HIGHER RISK HETEROSEXUALS WHO HAVE A SEXUAL PARTNER OM A UNTRY WH A HIGHER RISK OF HIV."THE UNTRI THAT TYPILLY HAVE IMPLEMENTED DIVIDUAL RISK ASSSMENT HAVE A MORE EVEN DISTRIBUTN OF HIV ACROSS THE POPULATN."READ MOREDOLLY'S JOB HAS NEVER BEEN MORE DANGERO THAN IS NOW. SHE'S REFG TO LET STOP HERMR CROOME SAID LIFEBLOOD WAS BEG "OVERLY UT" ON THE ISSUE AND NEED TO ACT "MUCH MORE QUICKLY"."THERE IS ALMOST NO DIFFERENCE BETWEEN THE MOGRAPHICS OF HIV FECTN CANADA AND ATRALIA. AMONGST MEN, 'S ALMOST EXACTLY THE SAME," HE SAID.THE REAL SAFETY RISK ME OM THOSE WHO WERE NEWLY FECTED WH HIV, REGARDLS OF THEIR SEXUAL ORIENTATN, MR CROOME SAID."THE NEW FECTN RATE AMONGST GAY MEN IS GOG DOWN TO TO POT WHERE THE RISK OF HIV TRANSMISSN THROUGH BLOOD DONATN IS STATISTILLY NEGLIGIBLE," HE SAID.SHARE7 M READPUBLISHED 16 MAY 2023 6:01AMBY AMY HALLSOURCE: SBS NEWSAVAILABLE OTHER LANGUAGTAGSHEALTHATRALIASHARE THIS WH FAY AND IENDSCOPY LKSHAREREMEND FOR YOU
• NEW ATRALIAN BLOOD DONATN L FOR GAY MEN DON’T GO FAR ENOUGH, ADVOT SAY
• ATRALIA HAS OFFICIALLY EASED ITS BLOOD DONATN RTRICTNS FOR GAY AND BISEXUAL MEN
• ATRALIA MOV TO EASE L ON GAY BLOOD DONORS
• PH TO LIFT GAY BLOOD DONATN BAN AMID SHORTAGE
• SHOULD ATRALIA END RTRICTNS ON GAY AND BISEXUAL MEN DONATG BLOOD?
• WHY CAN'T GAY MEN DONATE BLOOD ATRALIA?
• 'WE REALLY WANT TO HELP': CALLS TO EASE RTRICTNS ON GAY BLOOD DONATNS

WHY LGBTIQ+ ADVOT WANT ATRALIA'S 'GAY BLOOD BAN' TO ATRALIA IS PHG FOR AN END TO ATRALIA'S "GAY BLOOD BAN" FAVOUR OF A "MORE EQUABLE APPROACH" OF DIVIDUAL RISK ASSSMENTS.THOMAS BUXERE IS A GAY MAN WH A PARTNER OF 11 YEARS, AND N'T DONATE BLOOD UNR ATRALIA'S CURRENT L. SOURCE: SUPPLIED/THOMAS BUXEREWHEN THOMAS BUXERE HEARD THAT ATRALIA’S BLOOD SUPPLI WERE NNG LOW DUE TO THE COVID-19 PANMIC, HE WAS READY TO ROLL UP HIS SLEEVE AND HELP BY TAKG PART A BLOOD DONATN DRIVE AT HIS WORK.TO HIS DISAPPOTMENT, HE FOUND THAT AS A GAY MAN HE WOULD BE UNABLE TO GIVE BLOOD DUE TO THE ATRALIAN RED CROSS LIFEBLOOD SERVICE’S POLICY REQUIRG "MEN WHO HAVE SEX WH MEN" TO ABSTA OM SEXUAL ACTIVY FOR THREE MONTHS BEFORE DONATG. WHILE MR BUXERE HAD BEEN BLOCKED OM DONATG BLOOD THE PAST DUE TO HIS SEXUALY, HE HAD CID TO CHECK HIS ELIGIBILY AGA ON THE RED CROSS WEBSE LIGHT OF THE PANMIC’S H TO THE BLOOD SUPPLY, HOPG THAT THE L HAD CHANGED. “I WAS ALMOST PLEASANTLY SURPRISED IALLY … THEY'VE GOT THIS REALLY NICE ELIGIBILY CHECKER THAT GO THROUGH A WHOLE RANGE OF QUTNS, FELT MORE MORN AND MORE APPROPRIATE. THEN I GOT TO THE SAME QUTN WHICH ASKED ME ABOUT, YOU KNOW, SEXUAL PRACTIC," HE TOLD SBS NEWS. "AS A RULT, WAS AN IMMEDIATE ‘NO’. THERE WAS NO DIALOGUE … DIDN'T ASK ME WHETHER I'D TAKEN PART ANY RISKY BEHAVUR OR ANYTHG LIKE THAT. IT WAS JT, YOU KNOW, A RELATNSHIP BETWEEN A MAN AND A MAN, AND THAT'S , DONE. END OF STORY.” BEG BARRED OM DONATG BLOOD “MA ME FEEL HORRIBLE … LIKE WAS PURELY DISCRIMATN," THOMAS BUXERE SAID. SOURCE: AAPWHILE A RECENT CHANGE LIFEBLOOD’S POLICY RCED THE FERRAL PERD OM 12 MONTHS TO THREE MONTHS, MR BUXERE SAID HE STILL FEELS NEEDLSLY DISCRIMATED AGAST.  “IT MA ME FEEL HORRIBLE … LIKE WAS PURELY DISCRIMATN … THERE WAS NO SUBSTANCE, THERE WAS NO SCIENCE,” HE SAID. “THE FACT THAT YOU'RE A GAY MALE JT BANS YOU FOR THREE MONTHS ... REGARDLS OF WHETHER YOU ENGAGE SAFE SEX."A LABEL WAS PUT ON, AND AS A RULT, WAS THE END, THE END OF THE NVERSATN.”MR BUXERE WAS TRATED THAT HE WAS NOT ABLE TO DONATE LIFE-SAVG BLOOD TO HELP THE MUNY A TIME OF NEED. “THERE ARE PEOPLE THAT N BENEF OM MY BLOOD DONATN. AND DIDN'T MAKE SENSE AS A NATN, WHY WOULD YOU PREVENT SOMEONE WHO N HELP SOMEONE WHO'S GOT SAFE BLOOD? I DIDN'T GET THAT. I STILL DON'T GET THAT.”CAMPAIGN TO END 'GAY BLOOD BAN'LGBTIQ+ RIGHTS ADVOTE RODNEY CROOME HAS BEEN MPAIGNG FOR AN END TO THE “GAY BLOOD BAN” FOR THE PAST 15 YEARS."THE CURRENT BAN ON GAY BLOOD DONATN EFFECTIVELY SENDS A MSAGE THAT GAY MEN ARE A THREAT TO PUBLIC HEALTH, AND THAT'S NO LONGER AN APPROPRIATE MSAGE TO SEND, IF EVER WAS, ATRALIAN SOCIETY," MR CROOME TOLD SBS NEWS.HE IS VOLVED A NEW PETN OM ATRALIA, A NATNAL LOBBY AND ADVOCY GROUP REPRENTG THE TERTS AND PRRI OF THE LGBTIQ+ MUNY, TLED 'MEDIL SCIENCE AND TERNATNAL EXPERIENCE SHOW OUR BLOOD IS SAFE'. READ MORERELAXED RTRICTNS ON LGBTIQ+ BLOOD DONORS AMID RONAVIS PANMIC NOT ENOUGH, ADVOT SAYTHE PETN LLS ON THE ATRALIAN RED CROSS LIFEBLOOD SERVICE AND THE THERAPTIC GOODS ADMISTRATN "TO STUTE A NEW DONOR POLICY THAT SCREENS POTENTIAL DONORS FOR THEIR DIVIDUAL RISK, NOT THE GENR OF THEIR SEXUAL PARTNER”. “THE CURRENT POLICY, IMPOSG AN ABSTENCE PERD ON GAY, BISEXUAL, TRANSGENR AND GENR NON-NFORMG ATRALIANS WHO HAVE SEX WH MEN, LIMS THE SUPPLY OF SAFE BLOOD, AND STIGMATIS GAY, BI, TRANS AND NON-BARY PEOPLE AS A THREAT TO PUBLIC HEALTH,” READS. “OUR PETN AIMS TO HIGHLIGHT THE FACT THAT ATRALIA IS IGNORG TERNATNAL REARCH AND BT PRACTICE WHEN TO A SAFE AND FAIR BLOOD SUPPLY,” MR CROOME SAID.  LIFEBLOOD'S CURRENT "FERRAL" POLICY IS STIGMATISG AND DISCRIMATORY, HE SAID.  “THE CURRENT POLICY OF BANNG ALL MEN AND TRANS WOMEN WHO HAVE SEX WH MEN OM BLOOD DONATN IS OBVLY DISCRIMATORY BEE BANS AN ENTIRE GROUP OF PEOPLE OM PROVIDG AN SENTIAL PUBLIC SERVICE. “BUT WORSE THAN THAT, STIGMATIS ALL GAY, BI AND TRANS PEOPLE AS A THREAT TO PUBLIC HEALTH.”  ATRALIA 'FALLG BEHD'THE PETN FOLLOWS A REPORT MISSNED BY ATRALIA THAT REVIEWS CURRENT DATA AND MOLLG AND PAR BANS ON GAY BLOOD DONATN, SUCH AS ATRALIA'S, WH A POLICY OF SCREENG DONORS FOR THEIR DIVIDUAL RISK. “ATRALIA, TERTGLY ENOUGH, WAS THE FIRST UNTRY TO REMOVE A LIFETIME BAN ON DONATNS OM PEOPLE WHO ARE EMED TO BE ‘MEN WHO HAVE SEX WH MEN’, AND OTHER UNTRI THEN FOLLOWED SU,” REPORT THOR DR SHARON DANE TOLD SBS NEWS. DR SHARON DANE SAYS THE LATT REARCH SHOWS THE BLOOD BAN IS UNNECSARY. SOURCE: SBS NEWSHOWEVER, THE NATN IS NOW “FALLG BEHD”, SHE SAID, AS OTHER UNTRI CLUDG THE UNED KGDOM HAVE MOVED AWAY OM A POLICY OF A “FERRAL PERD” FAVOUR OF A “MORE EQUABLE APPROACH, WHICH IS THAT EVERYONE, IRRPECTIVE OF THEIR SEXUAL ORIENTATN, THEIR GENR OR THEIR PARTNER'S GENR, IS ASKED TO DO WHAT YOU LL AN DIVIDUAL ASSSMENT”. “SO THE RISK IS BASED ON YOUR SEXUAL BEHAVUR, RATHER THAN THE GROUP OF PEOPLE YOU BELONG TO. SO THIS STANCE, WHILE ATRALIA WAS A LEAR IALLY, IS NOW FALLG BEHD OTHERS.”THE LATT TERNATNAL REARCH SHOWS THERE IS NO MEANGFUL RISK ATTACHED TO LIFTG THE CURRENT ABSTENCE REQUIREMENT FOR BLOOD DONATN BY MEN, AND TRANS WOMEN, WHO HAVE SEX WH MEN, AND REPLACG WH A NEW POLICY OF SCREENG DONORS FOR THEIR DIVIDUAL SEXUAL SAFETY, DR DANE SAID.  "MOLLG SUGGTS THIS WOULD ACTUALLY CREASE THE AMOUNT OF SAFE BLOOD AVAILABLE TO THOSE NEED OF BLOOD PRODUCTS." INDIVIDUAL RISK ASSSMENTS REJECTEDLIFEBLOOD TOLD SBS NEWS THAT DIVIDUAL RISK ASSSMENTS ARE “NOT THE SAFT APPROACH AT THIS TIME” ATRALIA. “IN ATRALIA, A MAN HAS TO WA UNTIL THREE MONTHS AFTER THEIR LAST SEXUAL NTACT WH ANOTHER MAN BEFORE THEY N DONATE BLOOD. THIS IS BEE THE LATT ATRALIAN DATA SHOWS THERE'S STILL A MUCH HIGHER RISK OF NEWLY ACQUIRED HIV FECTNS AMONGST MEN WHO HAVE SEX WH MEN,” A LIFEBLOOD SPOKPERSON SAID.READ MORERED CROSS LLS FOR THOANDS OF NEW BLOOD DONORS TO AVOID AN ATRALIA-WI HOLIDAY SHORTAGE“WHILE WE TT ALL BLOOD DONATNS, EVEN THE VERY BT TTG [WHICH LIFEBLOOD ] N’T ALWAYS PICK UP EARLY FECTNS. SO, WE ASK PEOPLE TO WA BEFORE DONATG SO WE N ENSURE RECIPIENTS OF BLOOD ARE AS SAFE AS POSSIBLE OM LIFE-CHANGG FECTNS LIKE HIV.“WE NSIRED DIVIDUAL ASSSMENTS AS PART OF OUR RECENT REVIEW, BUT THEY REQUIRE A MORE EVEN DISTRIBUTN OF NEW HIV FECTNS ACROSS A UNTRY’S WHOLE POPULATN.” LIFEBLOOD TOLD SBS NEWS WOULD “NTUE TO MONOR AND REVIEW THE EVINCE RELATN TO DIVIDUAL RISK ASSSMENT” AND THAT THE ANISATN IS “EXPLORG OTHER PATHWAYS TO BROAN DONOR ELIGIBILY AND HOPE TO BE ABLE TO SHARE MORE ABOUT THE THE NEAR FUTURE”.THE PANMIC HAS SEEN BLOOD SUPPLI TAKE A H. SOURCE: RED CROSS LIFEBLOODMR CROOME SAID THAT WHILE IS “TE THE MAJORY OF NEW HIV FECTNS ARE AMONG GAY MEN” WHAT LIFEBLOOD “FAILS TO NOTE IS THAT THE OVERWHELMG MAJORY OF GAY MEN DO NOT HAVE, AND WILL NEVER HAVE HIV, BEE THEY HAVE SAFE SEX AND/OR THEY ARE MONOGAMO”.“THIS IS PRECISELY THE DISTCTN THAT DIVIDUAL RISK ASSSMENT IS SIGNED TO DRAW, BETWEEN THOSE WHO ARE SAFE TO GIVE BLOOD AND THOSE WHO AREN’T, BY ASKG ABOUT SEXUAL ACTIVY THAT ACTUALLY RISK,” HE SAID. “THAT DISTCTN APPLI EQUALLY TO HETEROSEXUAL PEOPLE WHO MAY NOT ONLY BE AT RISK OF NTRACTG AND PASSG ON HIV BUT ALSO OTHER BLOOD-BORNE DISEAS.”  IS TERTED TO TALK TO THE RED CROSS LIFEBLOOD SERVICE ABOUT THE OPTNS IS NSIRG, BUT BELIEV THE ONLY WAY TO ENSURE A SAFER, LS DISCRIMATORY BLOOD SUPPLY IS DIVIDUAL RISK ASSSMENT, MR CROOME SAID.AN ATRALIAN RED CROSS BLOOD DONOR CENTRE. SOURCE: ATRALIAN RED CROSS LIFEBLOODTGA TOLD SBS NEWS WAS “AWARE OF THE PETN AND IS REVIEWG THE REPORT MISSNED BY ;.  “THE TGA UNRSTANDS LIFEBLOOD CURRENTLY NSIRS THAT [THE] DIVIDUAL RISK ASSSMENT APPROACH IS NOT THE SAFT APPROACH AT THIS TIME ATRALIA.  THIS IS DUE TO AN UNEVEN DISTRIBUTN OF NEW HIV FECTNS ACROSS THE ATRALIAN POPULATN,” A TGA SPOKPERSON SAID. “LIFEBLOOD ARE EXPLORG OTHER PATHWAYS TO BROAN DONOR ELIGIBILY. THE TGA WILL NSIR ANY SUBMISSN OM A SPONSOR TO CHANGE S APPROACH TO THE FERRAL PERD, BASED ON DATA TO SUPPORT THE SAFETY OF SUCH A CHANGE.”SHARE8 M READPUBLISHED 29 OCTOBER 2021 7:13AMUPDATED 29 APRIL 2022 6:44AMBY ISABELLE LANESOURCE: SBS NEWSTAGSATRALIAATRALIASHARE THIS WH FAY AND IENDSCOPY LKSHAREREMEND FOR YOU

When Thomas Buxere heard that Atralia’s blood suppli were nng low due to the COVID-19 panmic, he was ready to roll up his sleeve and help by takg part a blood donatn drive at his his disappotment, he found that as a gay man he would be unable to give blood due to the Atralian Red Cross Lifeblood service’s policy requirg "men who have sex wh men" to absta om sexual activy for three months before donatg. “The fact that you're a gay male jt bans you for three months...

”Campaign to end 'gay blood ban'LGBTIQ+ rights advote Rodney Croome has been mpaigng for an end to the “gay blood ban” for the past 15 years. "The current ban on gay blood donatn effectively sends a msage that gay men are a threat to public health, and that's no longer an appropriate msage to send, if ever was, Atralian society, " Mr Croome told SBS is volved a new petn om Atralia, a natnal lobby and advocy group reprentg the terts and prri of the LGBTIQ+ muny, tled. “The current policy, imposg an abstence perd on gay, bisexual, transgenr and genr non-nformg Atralians who have sex wh men, lims the supply of safe blood, and stigmatis gay, bi, trans and non-bary people as a threat to public health, ” reads.

“But worse than that, stigmatis all gay, bi and trans people as a threat to public health.

THE US HAS BEE THE LATT NATN TO REMOVE S 'GAY BLOOD BAN'. WILL ATRALIA FOLLOW?THE UN STAT IS JOG UNTRI SUCH AS THE UNED KGDOM AND CANADA EASG S BLOOD DONATN RTRICTNS. WHY DON'T ATRALIA?SEVERAL NATNS HAVE EASED BLOOD DONATN RTRICTNS FOR MEN WHO HAVE SEX WH MEN (MSMS). SOURCE: AAP / DAN HIMBRECHTSKEY POTSATRALIA HAS RTRICTNS ON BLOOD DONATNS OM GAY AND BISEXUAL MEN, TRODUCED THE 1980SRIGHTS ADVOT WANT ATRALIA TO ADOPT THE SAME DIVIDUAL RISK ASSSMENT POLICY AS THE US, CANADA AND UK.CHANGG ATRALIA'S BLOOD DONATN L VOLV A "QUE PLEX" PROCS.THE UNED STAT' FOOD AND DG ADMISTRATN (FDA) ANNOUNCED LAST WEEK WOULD EASE S RTRICTNS ON BLOOD DONATNS FOR MEN WHO HAVE SEX WH MEN (MSM) AFTER PREV SCREENG L WERE LABELLED "HOMOPHOBIC".UNR THE CHANG, ALL PROSPECTIVE DONORS, REGARDLS OF THEIR SEX, GENR OR SEXUAL ORIENTATN, WILL BE ASKED A SERI OF QUTNS ABOUT THEIR LIFTYLE TO TERME THEIR ELIGIBILY — A PRACTICE KNOWN AS AN DIVIDUAL RISK ASSSMENT.IF THEY'VE HAD ANAL SEX WH NEW OR MULTIPLE PARTNERS THE PAST THREE MONTHS, THEY WON'T BE ALLOWED TO GIVE BLOOD. THOSE WHO HAVE TAKEN PRE-EXPOSURE PROPHYLAXIS (PREP) OR POST-EXPOSURE PROPHYLAXIS (PEP) — MEDITNS ED TO PREVENT HIV FECTN — MT ALSO FER DONATG BLOOD.THE POLICY CHANGE BRGS THE US POLICY LE WH UNTRI LIKE CANADA AND THE UNED KGDOM.READ MOREJOE WANTS TO DONATE BLOOD. HE N'T BEE OF HIS SEXUALYLET US GIVE MPAIGN SPOKPERSON RODNEY CROOME SAID ALSO HIGHLIGHTED HOW ATRALIA WAS "SLIPPG FURTHER AND FURTHER BEHD BT PRACTICE"."THE CURRENT ATRALIAN GAY BLOOD BAN FEELS LIKE A SLAP THE FACE," HE TOLD SBS NEWS."IT SENDS A MSAGE THAT GAY AND BISEXUAL MEN ARE A THREAT TO PUBLIC HEALTH, AND OUR NTRIBUTN TO SAVG THE LIV OF OTHERS ISN'T WELE. THAT'S A VERY STIGMATISG MSAGE — 'S BASILLY THAT WE'RE STILL SEND CLASS CIZENS."THE OTHER IMPACT OF THE CURRENT POLICY IS THAT MEANS THERE'S LS SAFE BLOOD AVAILABLE TO SAVE THE LIV OF THOSE NEED."MR CROOME SAID HE'D LIKE TO SEE ATRALIA ADOPT THE SAME DIVIDUAL RISK ASSSMENT POLICY AS THE US, CANADA AND UK.WHAT ARE ATRALIA'S BLOOD DONATN L AROUND SEXUAL ACTIVY?MORE THAN 1.7 LN BLOOD DONATNS ARE NEED EVERY YEAR TO MEET MAND, ACRDG TO THE ATRALIAN RED CROSS' LIFEBLOOD ANISATN.BUT THERE ARE CERTA L PLACE TERMG WHO N AND N'T GIVE BLOOD, ORR TO MATA THE SAFETY OF THE SUPPLY.RTRICTNS FOR GAY AND BISEXUAL MEN WERE TRODUCED THE 1980S AT THE HEIGHT OF THE HIV/AIDS EPIMIC OVER NCERNS OF TRANSMISSN THROUGH TRANSFN.WHILE THE L HAVE SOMEWHAT EASED SCE THEN, MOST MSMS AND PEOPLE WHO HAVE SEX WH MSMS ARE STILL ELIGIBLE TO GIVE BLOOD, AS THE TTS PERFORMED ON THEIR DONATNS ARE UNABLE TO TECT EARLY HIV FECTNS.CURRENTLY, ANYONE WHO ANSWERS 'Y' TO ANY OF THE QUTNS WILL HAVE TO WA THREE MONTHS BEFORE THEY'RE ALLOWED TO DONATE:HAD ORAL OR ANAL SEX WH ANOTHER MAN?HAD SEX WH A MALE WHO YOU THK MAY HAVE HAD ORAL OR ANAL SEX WH ANOTHER MAN?BEEN A MALE OR FEMALE SEX WORKER OR HAD SEX WH ONE?ENGAGED SEXUAL ACTIVY WH SOMEONE WHO EVER JECTED DGS NOT PRCRIBED BY A DOCTOR OR NTIST?ENGAGED SEXUAL ACTIVY WH SOMEONE WHO WAS FOUND TO HAVE HIV, HEPATIS B, HEPATIS C OR HUMAN T-LYMPHOTROPIC VIS (HTLV) FECTN?YOU MAY ALSO NEED TO WA TO DONATE IF YOU’VE HAD SEX WH A NEW PARTNER WHO LIV OR LIVED OVERSEAS, PENDG ON THE LEVEL OF HIV RISK THAT UNTRY.THERE ARE OTHER ELIGIBILY REQUIREMENTS TO BE ABLE TO DONATE BLOOD ATRALIA, AS WELL.HOW ARE ATRALIA'S BLOOD DONATN L CHANGED?LIFEBLOOD CHIEF MEDIL OFFICER DR JOANNE PK SAID ATRALIA'S APPROVAL PROCS FOR CHANG TO BLOOD SAFETY L WAS "QUE PLEX".THE FIRST STEP VOLV LIFEBLOOD MAKG A SUBMISSN TO THE THERAPTIC GOODS ADMISTRATN, ADVOTG FOR A CHANGE TO TAKE PLACE.IF THE TGA APPROV THE SUBMISSN, AGREEMENT THEN NEEDS TO BE SOUGHT OM STATE AND TERRORY ERNMENTS, AS WELL AS GLOBAL BTECH PANY CSL BEHRG, BEFORE IS IMPLEMENTED.READ MORE'BREAK THE STIGMA': BLOOD DONATNS ENURAGED FOR MIGRANTS ATRALIA AMID WORLD RERD ATTEMPTEARLIER THIS YEAR, LIFEBLOOD MA A SUBMISSN TO THE TGA PROPOSG ALL SEXUAL ACTIVY L BE REMOVED FOR PLASMA DONATN, CLUDG FOR THOSE TAKG PREP."WHAT'S REALLY EXCG ABOUT PLASMA IS THAT 'S GOT AN ADDNAL SAFETY PLANT LLED PATHOGEN ACTIVATN, AND WHAT THAT MEANS IS THAT THEY E A PROCS WHICH N KILL OFF OR REMOVE VIS AND BACTERIA," DR PK TOLD SBS NEWS."THAT PARTICULAR PROCS IS NOT CURRENTLY AVAILABLE FOR RED CELLS, SO WE'VE GOT MORE OPTNS WH PLASMA."TO BE ABLE TO OFFER THIS APPROACH WHOUT IMPACTG ON PATIENT SAFETY IS A POWERFUL AND CLIVE WAY TO POTENTIALLY ALLOW MORE PEOPLE ATRALIA TO HELP OTHERS."A TGA SPOKPERSON NFIRMED THE APPLITN WAS CURRENTLY BEG ASSSED."A CISN BY TGA IS EXPECTED THE NEAR FUTURE," THEY TOLD SBS NEWS A STATEMENT.MR CROOME SAID WHILE ANY CREASE ATRALIA'S BLOOD PRODUCT SUPPLY WOULD BE WELE, OTHER UNTRI' EXPERIENC SHOWED REMOVG L FOR PLASMA DONATN DIDN'T ADDRS THE MA PROBLEM."THE ISSUE IS NTUED DISCRIMATN THE SUPPLY OF WHOLE BLOOD, AND THE FACT THAT WHOLE BLOOD IS WHAT IS REGULARLY SHORT SUPPLY," HE SAID."IN CANADA AND ISRAEL THE LAST FEW YEARS, THEY ALLOWED GAY MEN TO GIVE PLASMA, BUT NOT WHOLE BLOOD, AND BOTH OF THOSE UNTRI, THEY FOUND THAT THAT WASN'T THE SOLUTN."PLASMA DONATN IS A MUCH MORE TIME NSUMG AND DIFFICULT PROCS THAN DONATG WHOLE BLOOD … SO THE AMOUNT OF PLASMA GIVEN DIDN'T CREASE VERY MUCH, AND OF URSE, THERE STILL NTUED TO BE A SHORTAGE OF WHOLE BLOOD AND DISCRIMATN THE LLECTN OF WHOLE BLOOD."ISRAEL AND CANADA ABANDONED THAT PATHWAY VERY QUICKLY, AND BOTH UNTRI MOVED ON TO ALLOWG GAY MEN TO DONATE WHOLE BLOOD."WILL LIFEBLOOD REMEND CHANG FOR MSM WHOLE BLOOD DONATN?LIFEBLOOD RECENTLY TABLISHED A REARCH ADVISORY PANEL TO CI WHETHER TO REMEND DIVIDUAL RISK ASSSMENT FOR BLOOD DONATNS, AND IF SO, HOW ULD BE BT ADAPTED TO SU ATRALIA.DR PK SAID SHE EXPECTED WOULD TAKE ONE TO TWO YEARS FOR LIFEBLOOD TO PLETE THE REARCH NEED TO REACH S CISN, BEFORE A SUBMISSN TO THE TGA WAS EVEN NSIRED."WE KNOW PEOPLE WANT CHANGE ON THIS LE, AND WE DO, TOO," SHE SAID.BUT ATRALIA ULDN'T SIMPLY TRODUCE NEW BLOOD SAFETY L BEE OTHER UNTRI HAD, DR PK SAID."IT IS IMPORTANT TO NSIR LOL HEALTH DATA, SUCH AS, FOR EXAMPLE, HOW MON HIV IS ACROSS THE POPULATN, AND WHETHER THERE ARE PARTICULAR GROUPS OF DIVIDUALS WHO MAY HAVE A HIGHER CHANCE OF RRYG THE FECTN," SHE SAID."WH ATRALIA, THERE ARE TWO MA GROUPS WHO HAVE A HIGHER RISK OF HIV, THAT'S GAY AND BISEXUAL MEN, BUT ALSO, THERE IS A HIGHER RISK HETEROSEXUALS WHO HAVE A SEXUAL PARTNER OM A UNTRY WH A HIGHER RISK OF HIV."THE UNTRI THAT TYPILLY HAVE IMPLEMENTED DIVIDUAL RISK ASSSMENT HAVE A MORE EVEN DISTRIBUTN OF HIV ACROSS THE POPULATN."READ MOREDOLLY'S JOB HAS NEVER BEEN MORE DANGERO THAN IS NOW. SHE'S REFG TO LET STOP HERMR CROOME SAID LIFEBLOOD WAS BEG "OVERLY UT" ON THE ISSUE AND NEED TO ACT "MUCH MORE QUICKLY"."THERE IS ALMOST NO DIFFERENCE BETWEEN THE MOGRAPHICS OF HIV FECTN CANADA AND ATRALIA. AMONGST MEN, 'S ALMOST EXACTLY THE SAME," HE SAID.THE REAL SAFETY RISK ME OM THOSE WHO WERE NEWLY FECTED WH HIV, REGARDLS OF THEIR SEXUAL ORIENTATN, MR CROOME SAID."THE NEW FECTN RATE AMONGST GAY MEN IS GOG DOWN TO TO POT WHERE THE RISK OF HIV TRANSMISSN THROUGH BLOOD DONATN IS STATISTILLY NEGLIGIBLE," HE SAID.SHARE7 M READPUBLISHED 16 MAY 2023 6:01AMBY AMY HALLSOURCE: SBS NEWSAVAILABLE OTHER LANGUAGTAGSHEALTHATRALIASHARE THIS WH FAY AND IENDSCOPY LKSHAREREMEND FOR YOU

” Atralia 'fallg behd'The petn follows a missned by Atralia that reviews current data and mollg and par bans on gay blood donatn, such as Atralia's, wh a policy of screeng donors for their dividual risk. Source: Red Cross LifebloodMr Croome said that while is “te the majory of new HIV fectns are among gay men” what Lifeblood “fails to note is that the overwhelmg majory of gay men do not have, and will never have HIV, bee they have safe sex and/or they are monogamo”.

Key PotsAtralia has rtrictns on blood donatns om gay and bisexual men, troduced the 1980sRights advot want Atralia to adopt the same dividual risk asssment policy as the US, Canada and UK.

NEW ATRALIAN BLOOD DONATN L FOR GAY MEN DON’T GO FAR ENOUGH, ADVOT SAY

Changg Atralia's blood donatn l volv a "que plex" Uned Stat' Food and Dg Admistratn (FDA) announced last week would ease s rtrictns on blood donatns for men who have sex wh men (MSM) after prev screeng l were labelled "homophobic" the chang, all prospective donors, regardls of their sex, genr or sexual orientatn, will be asked a seri of qutns about their liftyle to terme their eligibily — a practice known as an dividual risk they've had anal sex wh new or multiple partners the past three months, they won't be allowed to give blood.

"It sends a msage that gay and bisexual men are a threat to public health, and our ntributn to savg the liv of others isn't wele. Rtrictns for gay and bisexual men were troduced the 1980s at the height of the HIV/AIDS epimic over ncerns of transmissn through the l have somewhat eased sce then, most MSMs and people who have sex wh MSMs are still eligible to give blood, as the tts performed on their donatns are unable to tect early HIV fectns. "In Canada and Israel the last few years, they allowed gay men to give plasma, but not whole blood, and both of those untri, they found that that wasn't the solutn.

ATRALIA HAS OFFICIALLY EASED ITS BLOOD DONATN RTRICTNS FOR GAY AND BISEXUAL MEN

"Israel and Canada abandoned that pathway very quickly, and both untri moved on to allowg gay men to donate whole blood. "Wh Atralia, there are two ma groups who have a higher risk of HIV, that's gay and bisexual men, but also, there is a higher risk heterosexuals who have a sexual partner om a untry wh a higher risk of HIV. "The new fectn rate amongst gay men is gog down to to pot where the risk of HIV transmissn through blood donatn is statistilly negligible, " he said.

ATRALIA MOV TO EASE L ON GAY BLOOD DONORS

New Atralian blood donatn l for gay men don’t go far enough, advot sayNew l that change the barriers facg gay men who want to donate blood Atralia don’t go far enough, advot blood donatn l for gay men have e to effect on Sunday allowg them to give blood if they have been celibate for three measure has dramatilly slashed that wag perd om 12 months – which effectively banned gay men om donatg – but advot say still discrimat agast many who would wish to year the Atralian Red Cross’s Lifeblood service announced the l would be changed om January 31, 2021, after a review of s sexual activy ferral new le, which also apply to transgenr people who have had sex wh a man, appli to oral and anal sex – wh or whout a Theraptic Goods Admistratn approved Lifeblood’s plan to cut the wag perd, and to also allow homosexual men to donate plasma and platelets.

”Gay men had prevly been banned om donatg durg the height of the AIDS epimic the 1980s, wh those l lgerg for new change me followg a ph for blood donors durg the COVID-19 panmic, wh MPs Alex Greenwich and Dr Time Read volly supportg the move their rpective stat of NSW and Victoria.

“The current ernments of both the Uned Stat and the Uned Kgdom are mted to replacg their gay blood bans wh dividual risk asssment, and ‘s time for Atralia to do the same. ”The study also showed that among gay men who would donate blood, the prevalence of HIV is lower than the general populatn, Mr Croome said. After s of harsh rtrictns for LGBTQI+ people who have wished to donate blood, Atralia has fally relaxed s long-standg blood donatn l for gay and bisexual men, as well as those who are transgenr.

PH TO LIFT GAY BLOOD DONATN BAN AMID SHORTAGE

Atralia now jos the Uned Stat and Canada who have also changed their blood donatn l to three months, per Gay Tim. “The current ernments of both the Uned Stat and the Uned Kgdom are mted to replacg their gay blood bans wh dividual risk asssment, and ’s time for Atralia to do the same. Acrdg to, the study also showed that among gay men who would donate blood, the prevalence of HIV is lower than the general populatn.

SHOULD ATRALIA END RTRICTNS ON GAY AND BISEXUAL MEN DONATG BLOOD?

Atralia's blood stocks are expected to drop to their lowt pot sce the start of the panmic after donatns took a nosedive due to the current surge flu s across the untry, as well as lds and pots:There have been a large number of blood donatn appotment ncellatns and no-shows, due to the surge flu sAnyone who is reverg om COVID-19 and wants to give blood should wa for seven days of beg symptom-eeBisexual and gay men, as well as trans women who have had sex wh men the last three months, nnot give blood Atralia, but advot are llg for changeThe Atralian Red Cross Lifeblood needs 17, 500 donors to help raise supply over the next week, wh their stocks of A, O, and B blood groups unr anisatn says will have "two days" of supply left by mid week. Bisexual men, gay men, and trans women nnot give blood Atralia if they have had sex wh men the past three months.

"The Red Cross Lifeblood Service is lerally beggg people to donate, yet they're sayg to gay men who are safe to donate, 'We don't want you'. The rat of new HIV fectns amongst gay men is gog down Atralia, whereas the rat of fectn amongst heterosexual people is gog up.

"Ben Dudman said, as a gay man, he felt the policy was "archaic" and need urgent reform. (Supplied: Ben Dudman)Canada this year removed the ban on blood donatns om gay men, wh the untry's health partment scribg as "a signifint tone toward a more clive blood donatn system" Mister Jt T said the change was long overdue, sayg the old approach was "discrimatory and wrong" Croome said he would like to see Atralia take a siar approach, wh other untri, cludg the Uned Kgdom and France, also implementg a system that asss the dividual risks of every donor.

WHY CAN'T GAY MEN DONATE BLOOD ATRALIA?

A spokperson for Red Cross Lifeblood said they "unrstood the l would exclu some groups", but that although gay and bisexual men clared monogamo relatnships were low risk, they were "still at a higher risk of exposure than people heterosexual relatnships".

KUALA LUMPUR, April 17 (Thomson Rters Foundatn) - A tralia is set to ease l on gay and bisexual men donatg blood, health officials said on Friday, a move cried as “wdow drsg” by LGBT+ groups who cricised rtrictns that would rema proposed change - which needs to be approved by feral and state ernments - would cut a 12-month wag perd on men who have had sex wh men to three months, before they are eligible to donate me after the Uned Stat earlier this month cut the celibacy perd to three months due to risg ncerns about blood suppli durg the ronavis crisis.

'WE REALLY WANT TO HELP': CALLS TO EASE RTRICTNS ON GAY BLOOD DONATNS

Atralian thori said the move was not related to the ronavis outbreak, and mataed that the three-month wag time - known as ferral perd - did not discrimate agast gay and bisexual men.

“At bt the new celibacy perd is wdow drsg to make a bad policy look better, ” said Rodney Croome, a spokperson at, an advocy said such rtrictn was a “haner” om the 1980s, when many untri banned gay men om donatg blood at the height of the HIV/AIDS epimic and the HIV tts were ls reliable. S., lls to remove the three-month ban on gay and bisexual men donors grew lour wh a jot letter released on Thursday by more than 500 doctors and said the recent reform did not go far enough reversg the “unscientific ban”, and only serve to “stigmatise” a group of potential donors durg the ronavis on blood donatns by gay men around the world differ.

Atralian Red Cross Lifeblood is nsirg changg l to allow more gay and bisexual men to donate plasma, but equaly advot are urgg to go further and screen donors on their sexual activy to rce HIV and transgenr people who have sex wh partners signated male at birth are not allowed to donate blood unls they have been celibate for three months and Atralia says is time for this to Buxere wants to be able to donate Flav Branleone“I’ve been wh my hband for 12 years, and I jt don’t unrstand why my blood would be emed as unsafe, ” Thomas Buxere, om the advocy group’s Let Us Give mpaign, told The Sydney Morng Herald and The Age. ” Atralia’s Rodney Croome said the ban on all sexually active gay men donatg blood was discrimatory.