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Our blood donation rules are changing
Australia has one of the safest blood supplies in the world, and protecting patients will always remain our top priority.
From Monday 20 April, more Australians will become eligible to donate blood under new, inclusive, sexual activity guidelines. All donors will now be asked the same sexual activity questions, regardless of gender.
These updates will allow more people to donate blood — including gay and bisexual men and transgender people in long‑term monogamous relationships — provided they meet all other eligibility criteria.
This change follows the removal of sexual activity rules for plasma donations in July 2025, which has already resulted in 6,437 additional donations and 2,709 new donors.
At Lifeblood, we’re committed to making donation more inclusive while maintaining the highest standards of safety for the patients who rely on donated blood and plasma.
These new guidelines are grounded in the latest research, risk modelling and community feedback, and have been approved by the Therapeutic Goods Administration (TGA) with endorsement from the National Blood Authority and state and federal governments.
Find out more here and join our webinar on 17 March 2.00pm (EST) with Dr Veronica Hoad, Lifeblood’s Public Health Physician, to hear more about the work behind this significant milestone.
Blood 2026 is returning to New Zealand
The meeting is being held in Auckland from 18 - 21 October 2026, at the newly opened NZICC (New Zealand International Convention Centre).
BLOOD 2026 is the joint annual scientific meeting of the Haematology Society of Australia and New Zealand (HSANZ), Australian and New Zealand Society of Blood Transfusion (ANZSBT) and Thrombosis and Haemostasis Society of Australia and New Zealand (THANZ).
KEY DATES
- Abstract submission opens: 4 March (closes 13 May)
- Earlybird registration opens: 4 March (closes 12 August)
Tea with the TPs — March 2026 forum: What makes a great abstract?
Perfect timing for Blood 2026 abstract season. Join Dr Alison Mo, clinical and laboratory haematologist at Austin and Monash Health, as she unpacks what elevates an abstract from good to great.
Transforming transfusion practice in the NHS
Recently published in the British Journal of Haematology is an article that describes the current state of transfusion practice in the National Health Service (NHS) in England, and the current efforts to address its shortcomings. The observations and recommendations developed to improve current transfusion practice in this article have relevance globally to health services confronting similar challenges.
The article highlighted the persistent and preventable errors according to Serious Hazards of Transfusion (SHOT) data and indicators, some of which have worsened in recent years. Over the past decade transfusion-related deaths in the UK quadrupled, and from 2023 to 2024 increased by 55%, with circulatory overload and delays in transfusion the leading causes. National audits estimated that around 20% or more of transfusions are clinically inappropriate.
Release of BloodSafe eLearning CTP: Pre-hospital and retrieval course
Administering blood components to patients in a pre-hospital and retrieval setting is increasing throughout Australia. Pre-hospital and retrieval settings present unique challenges in transfusion decisions, patient identification, blood component management and cold chain maintenance. Ensuring safe transfusion practice is crucial in any setting when administering blood components.
BloodSafe eLearning Australia has developed a course focusing on both adult and paediatric patient populations. This course covers:
- the decision-making process when considering a transfusion
- the administration and management of blood components
- documentation requirements, and
- cold chain management and its role in reducing wastage.
It's all about the temperature
Platelets are versatile. They can prevent bleeding, or treat active bleeding, and are given to people with cancer, undergoing surgery, or used in trauma care. But they have a downside too. Right now, we can only store platelets for seven days at room temperature. This short shelf-life can lead to wastage and supply chain challenges. So, what if we changed the temperature we store platelets at?
We ran a large clinical trial called CLIP-II, which compared cryopreserved (frozen) platelets with room temperature platelets for treating bleeding in people undergoing complex cardiac surgery. The trial was run entirely in Australia, and all platelets were manufactured by R&D in our Sydney Processing Centre.
Episode 1: Unlocking understanding: HLA basics and principles of testing in transplantation medicine
We’d love you to join us for the first webinar in our 3-part series highlighting the exciting and life-saving work of Lifeblood’s Transplantation and Immunogenetics Services (TIS)
Speaker: Eleni Tsiopelas, Transplantation and Immunogenetic Scientist
Tuesday 31 March
2.00-3.00pm
In case you missed it
Lifeblood’s curated links and resources for health professionals, including JMO resources:
To access curated links and the updated junior medical officer resources, click here and select your professional background.
Podcasts of interest:
Stay up to date on the latest research and reviews for both clinical and basic haematology with Blood podcasts, published weekly together with each issue of Blood.
Talking Transfusion: The Transfusion Evidence Round-Up Podcast, a collaborative podcast brought to you by the International Society of Blood Transfusion (ISBT) and the Systematic Review Initiative (SRI) provides a selection of high-quality systematic reviews and randomised controlled trials on transfusion-related topics.
ISBT launched the Transfusion Practitioners across the world Podcast which allows listeners to hear from Transfusion Practitioners in four countries (England, Canada, Belgium and Australia) regarding their roles and importance in health care.
Recent guidelines and articles of interest:
Red Cell Transfusion in Acute Myocardial Infarction: AABB International Clinical Practice Guidelines
Platelet transfusion. 2025 AABB and ICTMG International Clinical Practice Guidelines
Restrictive transfusion in acute brain injury: A meta-analysis of randomized clinical trials
KDIGO 2026 Clinical Practice Guideline for the Management of Anemia in Chronic Kidney Disease (CKD)
Australian Red Cross Lifeblood
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