Subscribe to Search results

The BSE Inquiry published its report.

Published on:

The Government announced financial support packages for victims of vCJD.

Published on:

The Department of Health purchased the largest remaining independent US plasma collector, Life Resources Incorporated, to ensure the continuity of supply without needing to rely on UK-sourced plasma.

Published on:

The death of a patient thought to have been infected with vCJD through transfusion was announced. 15 individuals who received donations of blood from donors who subsequently developed vCJD were to be notified by the Health Protection Agency.

Published on:

The Government announced the exclusion of blood donors who had received transfusions of whole blood components since January 1980.

Published on:

The second case of transfusion-related vCJD was reported.

Published on:

People with a bleeding disorder who were treated with UK-sourced pooled factor concentrates or antithrombin between 1980 and 2001 were considered at risk of vCJD and informed by their haemophilia centre.

Published on:

WHO identified record keeping as key to reducing the risks of hepatitis.

Published on:

Guidance and circulars were issued containing advice as to the retention and disposal of medical records.

Published on:

The Advisory Group on testing of the presence of Hepatitis B surface antigen and its antibody was opposed to the "routine determination of transaminase levels" but considered further investigation to be warranted and deferred further discussions to its next meeting when Dr Cleghorn would be in attendance.

Published on:

The Advisory Group on testing of the presence of Hepatitis B surface antigen and its antibody's terms of reference included "To advise the Department on measures which should be introduced to offer greater safety to recipients of blood and blood products and to protect the interests of blood donors."

Published on:

Dr Cleghorn reported that several people had "raised transaminases not associated with viral hepatitis. Some 3% of new donors would be excluded if the criterion of one raised transaminase was applied. In addition there would be a problem of responsibility to apparently healthy donors found to have raised transaminase(s)."

Published on:

"The Advisory Group on testing of the presence of Hepatitis B surface antigen and its antibody agreed that no new policy on testing for transaminases needed to be adopted. These tests should not be used to screen blood donors."

Published on:

The Blood Transfusion Research Committee concluded that "The identification of donors and units of blood associated with possible cases of non-A, non-B hepatitis" and "Epidemiological surveys to assess the size of the problem in relation to blood transfusions" required investigation.

Published on:

Dr Paul Holland acknowledged that ALT screening of donors appeared to be a "promising way to decrease the risk of post-transfusion hepatitis", and questioned whether the expected benefit to patients was "worth the drawbacks, especially to the donors and to the blood-service complex".

Published on:

Dr Brian McClelland reported to the SNBTS directors that he had prepared a protocol for a study of the transmission of NANBH by transfusion for an MRC meeting. Directors agreed at the meeting that they would not proceed with liver function tests on existing donations for the time being.

Published on:

Report on Post-transfusion hepatitis in a London hospital: results of a two-year prospective study was published. The report explained that "It was arbitrarily decided that where such other potential causes existed, the patient would not be regarded as suffering from viral hepatitis." It also acknowledged that the "exclusion of all patients having other possible causes for their liver damage may have contributed to the low incidence of hepatitis in the present study".

Published on:

The MRC Blood Transfusion Committee was disbanded in July 1982 on the basis that its work was being duplicated elsewhere.

Published on:

The Advisory Group on Testing for the Presence of Hepatitis B Surface Antigen and Its Antibody advised against screening tests for NANBH in screening blood donors.

Published on:

The DHSS Advisory Group on Hepatitis endorsed the Third Report of the Advisory Group on Testing for the Presence of Hepatitis B Surface Antigen and Its Antibody, advising against NANBH screening.

Published on: