A review of gay male blood donation in the UK has heard evidence from one doctor, saying that viruses are “not politically correct” and gay men still pose a risk to blood supplies.

Since 1985 only two patients have been infected with HIV through blood transfusions.

In the wake of countries like Spain, New Zealand and Japan altering laws for gay-male blood doners, and campaigns from prominent gay rights activists, the independent Advisory Committee on the Safety of Blood, Tissues and Organs held a review of UK laws on Tuesday.

During the hearing Dr Richard Tedder from University College London, said that viruses were “not politically correct” and opposed any change to the ban because of the window period before HIV could be detected in blood samples.

While all supplies are tested for blood born viruses, in the UK, men who have slept with men at any stage of their lives, as well as women who have slept with same-sex attracted men, are banned from donating for life. The lifetime ban, opponents say, decreases blood supplies at a time of great need.

According to the Times, Britain’s National Health Service recently called for a 50 per cent increase in blood donations after the recent swine flu epidemic depleted the nation’s supplies.

Prominent gay activist Peter Tatchell has long been in favour of the review. “This review of the blanket, lifetime ban on gay and bisexual men donating blood is long overdue. The truth is that most gay and bisexual men do not have HIV and will never have HIV. Their blood is safe,” says Tatchell.

The committee present heard from medical experts, who indicated that while all supplies are tested for blood born viruses, it was not overly cautious to exclude high-risk individuals from donating. While over 50 per cent of HIV diagnoses in Britain are amongst heterosexuals, it is thought most of these cases occurred outside the country. Gay men are still considered to have the highest rate of HIV infection within the Britain.

According to the Times, The Terrence Higgins Trust, an HIV charity, currently supports the ban. “Only when an expert review has re-evaluated risks to the safety of the blood supply should the current policy be changed in line with new evidence,” read a statement from the trust.

40 students protested outside the hearing and options including a five-year-ban, rather than a lifetime ban, for gay men and bans based on individual cases were discussed. Opponents of both suggestions asked whether it was realistic for gay men not to have male-to-male sex for five years, and that case-by-case barring would be too time and labour intensive.

Findings from the hearing will be announced in 2010 by the Department of Health.