§ Mr. David NicholsonTo ask the Secretary of State for Health if he will permit the Bio Products Laboratory to offer for sale to national health service hospitals 8SM high purity factor VIII produced from plasma that has neither been tested nor screened for(a) hepatitis C or (b) ALT —alanine aminotransferase.
§ Mr. DorrellThe Bio Products Laboratory markets products in accordance with the requirements of the United Kingdom licensing authority and of the European Community. These requirements include screening for HCV antibody, which demonstrates the presence of Hepatitis C.
ALT testing in this country has been considered by experts who advised us that it is unnecessary. There is currently no European Community requirement for ALT testing.