§ Mrs. Renée Shortasked the Secretary of State for Social Services if he is satisfied that adequate guidelines have been issued to National Health Service hospitals in respect of clearing up equipment used in cases of deceased patients resulting from acquired immune deficiency syndrome.
§ Mr. Kenneth ClarkeYes. Interim guidelines on AIDS prepared by the advisory committee on dangerous pathogens were published jointly by Health Ministers and the Health and Safety Commission on 16 January. They give advice on the safe handling and disinfection of materials and equipment used in connection with AIDS patients.
§ Mrs. Renée Shortasked the Secretary of State for Social Services if he plans to ask British citizens who have received blood transfusions in the United States of America to present themselves at hospitals for tests for acquired immune deficiency syndrome.
§ Mr. Kenneth ClarkeIt will be open to any clinician to offer such a test to any patient when a reliable test becomes available to the NHS.