The question that whether gay men should be permitted to donate blood, will today be examined by a government health committee.

AIDS epidemic banned men who have had sex with another man since 1977 from ever giving blood by a regulation that was created at the height of the 1980s'.

The ban that has been revised twice in the past 10 years but could not be changed has been called for being revised again by advocacy groups, blood-collection organizations and some members of Congress.

Shortage of blood supply has been pointed to by groups advocating lifting the ban. About 219,000 additional pints of blood would be donated annually if gay men are allowed to donate, a new study by the Williams Institute at the UCLA School of Law has estimated.

According to the Gay rights organizations, gay and bisexual men are facing discrimination.

Sean Cahill, managing director of the Gay Men’s Health Crisis, an HIV/AIDS organization said, “We’re asking the FDA to look at alternative policies that also protect the safety of the blood supply.”