§ Mr. David Marshallasked the Secretary of State for Social Services whether he will make acquired immune deficiency syndrome a notifiable disease.
§ Mr. NewtonI refer the hon. Member to my reply to my hon. Friend, the Member for Stockport (Mr. Favell) on 28 October 1986 at column123.
§ Mr. Arnoldasked the Secretary of State for Social Services if he will outline the steps he proposes to take to combat acquired immune deficiency syndrome.
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§ Mr. NewtonA full account will be given of the Government's plans in the debate on AIDS on 21 November.
§ Mr. Kirkwoodasked the Secretary of State for Social Services what guidelines have been issued to ambulance personnel as regards dealing with acquired immune deficiency syndrome and suspected acquired immune deficiency syndrome sufferers; and if he will make a statement.
§ Mr. NewtonGuidelines have been issued to health authorities which have responsibility for the day-to-day operational management of ambulance services. In addition, officials have also specifically advised regional health authority ambulance officers through the Secretary of their uni-disciplinary group. Guidance was issued to health authorities in January 1985 (Circular HC(85)2) in the form of interim guidelines by my right hon. Friend's advisory committee on dangerous pathogens. Those guidelines contained advice on measures which should be taken to safeguard the health and safety of people who, because of their work, come into direct contact with patients who might be suffering from acquired immune deficiency syndrome. Revised guidelines were issued to health authorities in June 1986 (Circular HN(86)20). Copies of both circulars are in the Library.
§ Dr. Godmanasked the Secretary of State for Social Services if he will list those hospitals and clinics in England and Wales which have in-patient facilities for the treatment of acquired immune deficiency syndrome victims.
§ Mr. NewtonThe wide spectrum of illnesses associated with the infection can be treated in normal district general hospital in-patient and out-patient facilities. Advice has been issued to all health authorities about the appropriate precautions to be taken in dealing with AIDS cases.
§ Mr. Dobsonasked the Secretary of State for Social Services, when his Department first tested blood and blood products from the United States for HIV and when his Department first issued advice to (a) doctors and (b) health authorities about acquired immune deficiency syndrome.
§ Mr. Newton[pursuant to his reply, 17 November 1986, c. 78]: Supplies of whole blood are not imported since the United Kingdom is self-sufficient; only certain blood products such as factor VIII are imported.
A suitable test for antibodies to HIV was developed during 1985. Since the beginning of 1986 it has been a licensing requirement that all imported factor VIII should be made from individually tested plasma donations. At the same time, as part of this licensing procedure, the National Institute of Biological Standards and Control started testing samples of each batch of imported factor VIII for HIV antibodies.
The Department first issued specific guidance documents on AIDS to health authorities in January 1985 and to all doctors in May 1985.
§ Mr. Dobsonasked the Secretary of State for Social Services, if he will list those hospitals offering blood tests for HIV, giving the number of people tested; and how many proved positive.
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§ Mr. Newton[pursuant to his reply, 17 November 1986, c. 78]: HIV antibody tests are available in NHS genitourinary medicine clinics of which there are 190 in England and Wales. Tests are also available through general practitioners and in the private sector. Laboratories testing the blood samples report only positive test results to the Communicable Disease Surveillance centre. At the end of October 1986, 3,590 positive test results had been reported.
§ Mr. Dobsonasked the Secretary of State for Social Services when the Government first financed research into the causes and treatment of acquired immune deficiency syndrome.
§ Mr. Newton[pursuant to his reply, 17 November 1986, c. 78]: The Medical Research Council, which receives grant in aid from the Science Vote of the Department of Education and Science, is responsible for co-ordinating research on AIDS in the United Kingdom. I understand that the first special project grant was awarded in 1983.
§ Mr. Dobsonasked the Secretary of State for Social Services if he will make a statement on the British Government's contacts with the World Health Organisation or other Governments on the subject of acquired immune deficiency syndrome.
§ Mr. Newton[pursuant to his reply, 17 November 1986 c. 78]: The Government have taken an active part in discussions on AIDS at the WHO European regional committee meetings in 1985 and 1986 and at the World Health assembly this year.
They have also participated in WHO expert committees on AIDS and have been involved in discussions on the WHO AIDS programme. The Government have pledged £250,000 to the programme. There was also discussion of the matter at the recent meeting of Commonwealth Health Ministers.
British Embassies and High Commissions generally have been asked to report on major developments in respect of AIDS.
§ Mr. Dobsonasked the Secretary of State for Social Services (1) when his Department first became aware of acquired immune deficiency syndrome;
(2) when his Department first became aware that acquired immune deficiency syndrome was a sexually transmitted disease.
§ Mr. Newton[pursuant to his reply, 17 November 1986, c. 78]: First reports about the disease were received from America in 1981 and the first case of AIDS in the United Kingdom was diagnosed at the end of that year. The possibility that AIDS could be sexually transmitted was suggested at that time. Following the isolation of the causative virus in America and France during 1983, it was confirmed that the condition was caused by an infection which was blood borne and also sexually transmissible.
§ Mr. Dobsonasked the Secretary of State for Social Services when his Department first became aware that acquired immune deficiency syndrome could he transmitted through blood and blood products.
§ Mr. Newton[pursuant to his reply, 17 November 1986, c. 78]: We became aware in 1982 of reports from the United States of America that haemophiliacs were contracting AIDS. Although the mechanism of infection was not known it was presumed that it had been 325W transmitted through the use of blood products such as factor VIII. Evidence that the AIDS infection could also be transmitted by blood transfusion emerged from the United States of America in 1983.
§ Mr. Dobsonasked the Secretary of State for Social Services which health authorities are providing resources for the treatment or study of acquired immune deficiency syndrome.
§ Mr. Newton[pursuant to his reply, 17 November 1986 c. 78]: All districts are expected to provide appropriate treatment for sick people in their areas, including AIDS cases where such exist. Authorities have been asked to provide by the end of December detailed action plans covering education, counselling, testing and treatment.
§ Mr. Dobsonasked the Secretary of State for Social Services if he will give the number of people suffering from acquired immune deficiency syndrome currently being treated in National Health Service hospitals.
§ Mr. Newton[pursuant to his reply, 17 November 1986, c. 78]: People suffering from AIDS may develop a number of symptoms, some of which may require regular or intermittent in-patient treatment while others may receive NHS treatment as out-patients. Records are not kept centrally of the number of in-patients being treated at any one time.
§ Mr. Dobsonasked the Secretary of State for Social Services (1) what is his estimate of the likely extent of acquired immune deficiency syndrome over the next five years;
(2) what additional resources will be required by the hospitals service to cope with his estimate of the likely incidence of acquired immune deficiency syndrome over the next five years.
§ Mr. Newton[pursuant to his reply, 17 November 1986, c. 78]: The latest published predictions by the Communicable Disease Surveillance centre estimate that in the United Kingdom there will be 550 new cases of AIDS diagnosed in 1986, 1,300 in 1987 and 3,000 in 1988. Inevitably these estimates involve a significant degree of uncertainty. There are no published predictions for the United Kingdom beyond 1988. Nor is it at present possible to make worthwhile estimates of the costs of hospital or other treatment for AIDS cases over the next five years.