§ Ms HarmanTo ask the Secretary of State for Health (1) on what date screening for hepatitis C started in each regional blood transfusion centre; [3758]
(2) when screening for hepatitis C first started in blood products in each EC country. [3759]
§ Mr. HoramRoutine screening for Hepatitis C was introduced throughout the national blood service from September 1991, when reliable tests first became available.
We do not have full information about when other European Community countries introduced testing for Hepatitis C, but we know that some introduced testing 426W before the United Kingdom. However, the expert committee which advises UK Ministers took the view prior to 1991 that tests should not be introduced in the UK because neither the screening test nor the confirmatory test was reliable enough.