§ Mr. WallaceTo ask the Secretary of State for Scotland how many patients in Scotland have contracted hepatitis C virus as a result of NHS blood or plasma transfusions. [16087]
§ Lord James Douglas-HamiltonA UK-wide "look back" exercise was announced in January 1995 with a view to tracing, counselling and, where appropriate, treating those who may have been exposed to the hepatitis C virus through blood donated before the introduction of testing in September 1991. The best current estimate is that there are around 350 individuals in Scotland infected in this way. It is not possible to give a more precise figure until work on this complex exercise has been completed.
70W