Rules that restrict gay men from donating blood are "outdated and discriminatory" and must be reformed, MSPs have heard.

Holyrood's Petitions Committee has agreed to seek further evidence on the issue after being told the current system is "prejudicial" as it judges people based on sexuality rather than sexual behaviour.

Jack Douglas, LGBT+ officer at NUS Scotland, has lodged a petition at Holyrood calling for individual risk-based blood donation to be introduced in Scotland.

Under the current system, men are prevented from donating if they have had sex with another man in the previous 12 months.

Ali Hudson, LGBT+ campaign representative from NUS Scotland, told the committee: "We're obviously not advocating for these rules to be changed in a way that harms patients or puts patients at risk.

"We want them to have access to the blood that they need without a risk of HIV transmission or transmission of any other blood-borne disease and we want a non-discriminatory and science-based approach to this policy.

"For us, this means introducing individual risk assessments where risky behaviours are not risky sexualities.

"Those whose behaviours are genuinely risky but who are not LGBT+ are passing under the radar whilst LBGT people who are potentially low risk based on their own individual behaviours are being prevented from giving blood based essentially on a statistical prevalence that is outdated and based mostly on prejudice rather than science and logic."

The witness added: "I think it's been clear for the last at least decade that this is potentially discriminatory, that this doesn't need to be applied in this way as a blanket deferral period and I think actually the Scottish National Blood Transfusion Service itself is aware of this as unnecessary and discriminatory, so I don't think there is an excuse to not look into reforming it."

MSPs agreed to write to the Scottish Government on the issue as well as the UK Standing Advisory Committee on the Safety of Blood, Tissues and Organs (SaBTO), which is currently undertaking a review.

"On the face of it, it does look like some sort of prejudice," Tory MSP Brian Whittle said.

The committee also agreed to seek the views of the Scottish National Blood Transfusion Service as well as organisations such as the Equality Network which have campaigned on the issue.