Source: Burnett Foundation Aotearoa
Burnett Foundation Aotearoa welcomes the New Zealand Blood Service’s move toward more equitable, behaviour-based donor screening. This change enables more people – including gay and bisexual men and other men who have sex with men – to donate blood, while maintaining the high standards New Zealanders expect with blood safety.
For more than a decade, advocates, community organisations, and individuals have called for a more inclusive, evidence-based approach to blood donation policy. This change reflects meaningful progress, shaped by sustained advocacy, scientific advancement, years of research like SPOTS (Sex and Prevention of Transmission Study), and a willingness to evolve longstanding practices.
“We welcome this as an important step forward,” says Burnett Foundation Aotearoa Chief Executive Liz Gibbs.
“It reflects years of advocacy and the growing recognition that policy must evolve alongside science and community understanding.”
Shifting assessment of risk away from a blanket-approach based on identities, to one based on behaviours helps reduce stigma while keeping everyone safe.
“Ensuring that communities most impacted by HIV are treated with fairness and respect stays central to our work. At a personal level, it gives men who have long been excluded, an opportunity to give back to their community. And ultimately this change helps increase the number of potential donors, which can help cover shortages in blood supply.” says Gibbs.
This moment reflects what can be achieved through partnership, persistence, and a shared commitment to inclusion. It is a meaningful step forward, while reinforcing the importance of continued progress toward policies that fully reflect equity, dignity, and current scientific evidence.
