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

Contents:

• SHOULD ATRALIA END RTRICTNS ON GAY AND BISEXUAL MEN DONATG BLOOD?
• 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
• ATRALIA HAS OFFICIALLY EASED ITS BLOOD DONATN RTRICTNS FOR GAY AND BISEXUAL MEN
• 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 MOV TO EASE L ON GAY BLOOD DONORS
• WHY CAN'T GAY MEN DONATE BLOOD ATRALIA?
• WHAT ARE THE BLOOD DONATN L GLOBALLY FOR GAY AND BISEXUAL MEN?
• 'WE REALLY WANT TO HELP': CALLS TO EASE RTRICTNS ON GAY BLOOD DONATNS
• PH TO LIFT GAY BLOOD DONATN BAN AMID SHORTAGE
• GAY MEN HOPE RED CROSS BLOOD DONOR WAG PERD WILL BE RCED FOLLOWG LATT REVIEW
• ATTUS AND WILLGNS TO DONATE BLOOD AMONG GAY AND BISEXUAL MEN ATRALIA
• I’M 43 – BUT I’M MA TO FEEL LIKE A DOSR BY YOUNGER GAY MEN

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

LGBTQI+ groups have lled for Atralia to change s policy on blood donatns om gay and bisexual men the light of mov other untri to relax July the UK removed s three-month abstence perd for gay and bisexual men donatg blood, and moved to an dividual risk asssment for all donors, regardls of genr or sexual partner. A number of other natns, cludg the Netherlands, Israel, Argenta, France and Germany, have abolished their ban on blood donatns for particular groups sce the panmic began, or plan to do so unr Atralian policy, gay men or trans women who have sex wh men are unable to donate blood if their sexual abstence perd is ls than three months. “Mollg suggts this would actually crease the amount of safe blood available to those need of blood products, ” she ban on gay blood donatns was put place the 1980s when much ls was known about the tectn and transmissn of HIV/ appli to all sexually active gay men, as well as sexually active bisexual men and transgenr women who have sex wh men – cludg those long-term Heiger timated that he donated blood as a teenager more than a dozen tim, before g out as gay.

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 say.New blood donatn l for gay men have e to effect on Sunday allowg them to give blood if they have been celibate for three months.The 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 donate.Last 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 polici.The 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 ndom.The Theraptic Goods Admistratn approved Lifeblood’s plan to cut the wag perd, and to also allow homosexual men to donate plasma and platelets.Chang are effect across all Atralian stat as of Sunday, Lifeblood said a statement on s webse.“Followg the approval of our submissns by the TGA, subsequent agreement by all Atralian ernments, and an update of Lifeblood systems cludg the donor qutnnaire form, we are pleased to report this change was applied on 31 January 2021 and is now place for all applible sexual-activy-based blood donatn ferral polici,” the statement said.“At Lifeblood we’re ntug our foc to make easier for all Atralians to give blood, while always ensurg Atralia’s blood and blood products are as safe as possible for blood recipients.”Gay men had prevly been banned om donatg durg the height of the AIDS epimic the 1980s, wh those l lgerg for s.The 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.However, the cisn not to scrap the celibacy perd altogether has attracted cricism om LGBTI advocy groups cludg jt.equal.Their spokman and long-time blood equaly advote, Rodney Croome, said blood-donors should be screened based on dividual factors and not genr or sexual orientatn.Mr Croome said a recent study published the Amerin Journal of Public Health found dividual measur “are equally effective protectg the blood supply”.“This landmark study nfirms that rcg the celibacy perd is tkerg at the edg,” he said.“To remove discrimatn and crease the supply of safe blood, Atralia mt adopt a new approach to blood donatn that screens donors for their dividual sexual risk rather than the genr of their sexual partner.“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.“We ll on the Atralian Red Cross Lifeblood Service to dch a policy Amerin experts label ‘illogil and unsubstantiated’, and adopt a policy based on scientific evince stead.”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.

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 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.

” 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”.

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. 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. 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.

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

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.

"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.

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.

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

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. 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.

ATRALIA MOV TO EASE L ON GAY BLOOD DONORS

(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. 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".

(This May 11 story rrects date and time reference for France fal par)LONDON (Thomson Rters Foundatn) - Countri around the world are reviewg rtrictns on blood donatns by gay and bisexual men imposed durg the 1980s HIV/AIDS crisis, wh some removg blanket bans and others rcg wag perds after gay ’s Supreme Court led on Friday that a 12-month ferral perd for gay and bi men to give blood was unnstutnal, a policy LGBT+ mpaigners had long argued was discrimatory given morn blood-screeng now, Brazil’s ernment will have to treat gay and bisexual men the same as heterosexual men when donatg blood. It uld wre a new law that restat the ban, but s posn is not yet blood suppli have e unr prsure due to the ronavis panmic, lls have grown for ernments to replace abstence perds for men who have sex wh men to donate blood wh dividual risk-based month, the Uned Stat and Northern Ireland cut their abstence perds, while Atralia said plans to do are the l erng blood donatn by gay and bi men around the world:- Countri that impose lifelong bans on gay and bisexual men donatg blood clu Croatia, Iceland, Malaysia, Slovenia, Sgapore, Tridad and Tobago and Ukrae- At least 17 untri now have no rtrictns, cludg Argenta, Italy, Rsia, South Ai, Spa and, as of January this year, Hungary- In April 2020, the Uned Stat cut s celibacy perd om 12 months to three months amid a blood shortage- Last month, Northern Ireland also rced s ferral perd om one year to three months, brgg to le wh regulatns the rt of the Uned Kgdom- Some untri differentiate between blood products and blood general, but Bra men who have had sex wh another man the last three months and revered om Covid-19 nnot donate their plasma to a ronavis treatment trial- Most untri do not mentn whether takg Pre-Exposure Prophylaxis (PrEP), a HIV-preventn dg, affects gay and bi men’s abily to donate blood. Bra says s three-month abstence perd appli regardls of whether someone tak PrEP or not- When Atralia announced s tentn to cut the abstence perd om 12 months to three April, said people takg PrEP would still have a 12-month abstence perd- Atria lifted a blanket ban on men who have sex wh men givg blood, replacg wh a 12-month abstence perd for gay and bi men December 2019- In March, Denmark lifted s lifelong ban, implementg a prevly announced wag perd of four months- France has had a wag perd of 12 months sce 2016, when lifted a ban on gay and bisexual men givg blood that had been place sce 1983Sourc: Thomson Rters Foundatn rearch, RtersReportg by Rachel Savage @rachelmsavage and Elsa Ohlen; Addnal reportg by Fab Teixeira; Edg by Helen Popper and Hugo Greenhalgh.

If you’re a sexually active gay or bisexual man, or trans, you n’t donate blood right now 's nothg and bisexual men were banned om givg blood durg the HIV and AIDS crisis that gripped the world the total ban beme a 12 month celibacy perd a few years later and earlier this year that was rced even further, meang men who have sex wh men now need to wa three months sce their last sexual ntact wh a man before they n Rodney Croome om natnal LGBTQI+ advocy anisatn don't thk there should be any "ferral" perd place at all. "It's an ia beg embraced by other untri around the UK recently announced 's scrappg s three month postponement for gay and bisexual men who have had the same sexual partner for more than three 's beg replaced wh an dividualised risk asssment that would mean anyone who wants to donate blood would be asked qutns about their sexual Croome thks that mak sense. Rearch rried out untri that have moved towards dividualised risk asssments has found the risk of sexually transmted fectns enterg the blood supply do not UK ernment has hailed what lls a "world leadg, safe optn" that regnis dividuals for the actns they take "rather than their sexual preference" says we need to be seeg siar progrs Atralia bee the current l around blood donatn are damagg to gay and bisexual men.

WHY CAN'T GAY MEN DONATE BLOOD ATRALIA?

"'I felt so small'Daniel Cottier was turned away when he tried to donate blood New South Wal earlier this a gay man, he followed the l and gave up sex three months before prentg for his when he got to the clic he found out that he still wasn't eligible to give blood bee he had taken the HIV preventative meditn PrEP (Pre-Exposure Prophylaxis) wh the last 12 uldn't fd that rmatn on the Atralian Red Cross Lifeblood webse. "Daniel later got an apology om Lifeblood and they have updated their webse to make clear that unr the current rtrictns if you are a gay man who PrEP, you have to wa a year sce your last dose before you n donate. 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.

“The vast majory of gay men do not have HIV, and some people engagg heterosexual sex do have HIV, ” she NSW Kirby Instute’s most recent HIV surveillance report found that male-to-male sex acunted for 58 per cent of HIV notifitns 2020 wh 365 s, pared wh 155 om heterosexual sex (24 per cent) Dane said while gay men were at higher risk, the overall numbers both groups were low and men who had sex wh men were more likely to get tted regularly.

”LoadgPlasma is the liquid ponent of blood and is ed to make immunoglobul, given travenoly to help people wh ncer or weakened immune systems fight off fectns, and album, ed to treat or prevent shock followg ser jury, bleedg, surgery, or said changg the l applyg to gay and bisexual men for plasma donatn alone “won’t substantially crease the amount of safe blood available or elimate discrimatn” and was an approach Canada had April, the Theraptic Goods Admistratn approved Lifeblood’s requt to lift the ban on almost 750, 000 people donatg blood after livg the Uned Kgdom for six months or longer, put place due to ncerns about the impact of the untry’s “mad w” epimic.

WHAT ARE THE BLOOD DONATN L GLOBALLY FOR GAY AND BISEXUAL MEN?

In 2012, a study missned by the Atralian Red Cross nclud that, as the vast majory of blood donors are pliant wh safety regulatns, there would be mimal risks associated wh rcg the ferral perd for homosexually active men to six months.

But the unter argument is that placg rtrictns on male-to-male sex reflects discrimatory and misguid attus toward gay and bisexual men – posng them as herently irrponsible and risky. A gay man who has been havg safe sex, cludg wh a monogamo relatnship, is not necsarily at higher risk of acquirg HIV than a woman who has had multiple sexual partners and possibly unsafe sex.

But is discrimatory to the extent that rtrictg men who have sex wh men om donatg blood reflects and rerc the perspective that gay and bisexual men are unreliable and require strict laws to regulate their actns – laws that are not applied to other groups.

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

The tragic irony, the the wake of the Orlando massacre, is that many people directly affected by this homophobic hate crime are prevented om offerg help due to regulatns that are place, large part, due to homophobia.

PH TO LIFT GAY BLOOD DONATN BAN AMID SHORTAGE

Needl have bee a fact of life for Ben 26-year-old has an hered blood ndn lled haemochromatosis and currently has to draw about half a lre of blood every week to tackle the high iron levels ed by the pots:Atralian men are barred om donatg blood for one year after a sexual enunter wh another manThe Red Cross Blood Service is nsirg fdgs om a review to Atralia's wag perdLast time the service suggted a rctn the wag time, thori knocked backMany people wh the ndn donate the blood they are forced to siphon to the Red Cross Blood bee Mr Henry is gay, his bags of blood are disrd.

"For young gay men that didn't grow up the 80s and the 90s when there were ncerns about blood safety, I thk there is a real sense of surprise that the polici exist, " Atralian Feratn of AIDS Organisatns (AFAO) chief executive Darryl O'Donnell said. Figur released this week show HIV diagnos have dropped to an 18-year low, maly due to creased s gay and bisexual drop has been partly attributed to the e of HIV preventn dg PrEP (pre-exposure prophylaxis), which was listed on the Pharmactil Benefs Scheme last year.

Countri cludg Italy, Spa, Portugal and South Ai have gone further — scrappg the mandatory ferral untri wh no ferral perd, gay and bisexual men are asssed on their dividual risk — such as multiple sexual partners — rather than sexual orientatn. Denmark has announced is scrappg the ferral perd for gay men monogamo relatnships and other gay and bisexual men n donate after four months whout Victorian Gay and Lbian Rights Lobby's Dale Park said the rtrictns were troduced at a time of "fear and prejudice" around homosexualy and the ferral perd should be set to three months or ls.

GAY MEN HOPE RED CROSS BLOOD DONOR WAG PERD WILL BE RCED FOLLOWG LATT REVIEW

It is important to note that the same-sex soc-sexual behavr observed the study is distct om homosexual behavr bee s motivatn and purpose are social, said Jean-Baptiste Le, who studi primate behavr at the Universy of Lethbridge Canada and was not volved the new rearch. “We n see the impact of preventn strategi like creasg HIV ttg, treatment as preventn, and pre-exposure prophylaxis particularly among gay and bisexual men, for whom new diagnos have been droppg signifintly sce 2014.

"We n see the impact of preventn strategi like creasg HIV ttg, treatment as preventn, and pre-exposure prophylaxis particularly among gay and bisexual men, for whom new diagnos have been droppg signifintly sce 2014.

ATTUS AND WILLGNS TO DONATE BLOOD AMONG GAY AND BISEXUAL MEN ATRALIA

Geni Pictur (“Mrs Lowry & Son, ” “Good Luck To You, Leo Gran”) has optned Emmett Monterey’s acclaimed memoir “Go the Way Your Blood Beats” – about growg up gay and disabled 1980s London – for TV adaptatn.

I’M 43 – BUT I’M MA TO FEEL LIKE A DOSR BY YOUNGER GAY MEN