Transfusion-related Acute Lung Injury (Hansard, 4 April 2003)

§ Lord Clement-Jones
asked Her Majesty's Government:
How many cases of transfusion-related acute lung injury in the past five years have been caused by fresh frozen plasma. [HL2131]

§ Baroness Andrews
The UK Serious Hazards of Transfusion (SHOT) reporting system provides data on transfusion-related acute lung injury (TRALI). However TRALI is difficult to diagnose and fresh frozen plasma (FFP) is just one blood component that has been seen to cause reactions which may be or may not have resulted in TRALI.
154WA

Year ^*Number of TRALI cases initially reported to SHOT ^**Number of TRALI cases shown in completed returns ^***Number of TRALI cases where FFP was the blood component implicated

1996–97 11 9 2

1997–98 16 14 3

1998–99 16 16 7

1999–2000 19 18 3

2000–01 15 13 4

^*Number of cases initially reported to SHOT showing an intention to report an incidence of TRALI.

^**Number of completed questionnaires received by SHOT showing TRALI cases.

^*** Number of cases where FFP is the suspected cause to varying degrees of probability. FFP is often used in conjunction with other blood components and it is not always possible to determine which component may have been the cause.

§ Lord Clement-Jones
asked Her Majesty's Government:
Whether they or the National Blood Service have provided financial settlement in any case of transfusion-related acute lung injury; and, if so, what level of settlement has been made; and [HL2135]
Whether they have assessed the cost of possible compensation claims from transfusion-related lung injury; and how they plan to budget for this.[HL2136]

§ Baroness Andrews
The National Blood Service has made a settlement out of court in one case of transfusion-related acute lung injury (TRALI).. The case was settled for £25,000 plus costs.
No specific assessment has been made of the possible compensation claims for TRALI. However, on 21 March 2003 the National Audit Office (NAO) published its assessment of provision needed by the National Health Service to cover current and anticipated clinical negligence claims. The amount estimated in 2001–02 was £5.25 billion. In coming to this calculation the NAO has looked at the numbers of actual claims and the numbers of incidents that have been incurred but not yet reported. (NHS England) Summarised Accounts 2001–02 www.nao.gov.uk)

Year	^*Number of TRALI cases initially reported to SHOT	^**Number of TRALI cases shown in completed returns	^***Number of TRALI cases where FFP was the blood component implicated
1996–97	11	9	2
1997–98	16	14	3
1998–99	16	16	7
1999–2000	19	18	3
2000–01	15	13	4
^*Number of cases initially reported to SHOT showing an intention to report an incidence of TRALI.
^**Number of completed questionnaires received by SHOT showing TRALI cases.
^*** Number of cases where FFP is the suspected cause to varying degrees of probability. FFP is often used in conjunction with other blood components and it is not always possible to determine which component may have been the cause.