§ Mr. Butterfillasked the Secretary of State for Scotland whether, in Scotland, all blood donors are required to sign a declaration that they are not in a high-risk group for acquired immune deficiency syndrome; and if he will make a statement.
§ Mr. John MacKayYes. The Scottish national blood transfusion service has issued a revised leaflet to donors setting out the groups which have a high risk of contracting AIDS and requesting donors in these groups not to give blood. Donors are required to sign a statement that they have read the leaflet and are not in one of the risk groups.
§ Mr. Butterfillasked the Secretary of State for Scotland whether he bas any evidence that blood from a patient in Scotland suffering from acquired immune deficiency syndrome has been used to make concentrated blood products which have subsequently been given to a number of haemophiliacs; and if he will make a statement.
§ Mr. John MacKayThere is evidence that a batch of factor VIII produced in Scotland was made from a pool of plasma containing a contribution from an apparently healthy blood donor who must have been exposed to HTLV III, the virus which causes AIDS. This batch was used for the treatment of a number haemophiliacs, some of whom have developed antibodies to HTLV III. It does not follow that they have AIDS, nor that they will necessarily go on to get the disease. The batch was withdrawn from use on discovery of the evidence.