§ Dr. HarrisTo ask the Secretary of State for Health (1) if he will make a statement on the Government's policy regarding compensation for haemophiliacs infected with Hepatitis C; [19852]
(2) when he intends to respond to (a) the Manor House Group and (b) the Haemophilia Society in respect of his recent meeting to discuss compensation for haemophiliacs infected with Hepatitis C. [19853]
§ Mr. Dobson[holding answer 10 December 1997]: I wrote to the Haemophilia Society on 28 November to assure them that we are giving full and careful consideration to this complex issue. I hope very shortly to be in a position to send them a full reply, which will be copied to the Manor House Group.
§ Dr. HarrisTo ask the Secretary of State for Health what safety measures are in place to ensure that haemophiliacs are not infected with(a) Hepatitis C and (b) HIV as a result of blood transfusions. [19854]
§ Mr. Dobson[holding answer 10 December 1997]: All reasonable steps are taken to ensure the safety of blood and blood products for all patients. These include the careful questioning of donors to exclude those likely to represent a risk of transmitting infection, and the testing of donations for Hepatitis B and C, HIV 1 and 2 and syphilis. Pools of plasma from which blood products are to be made are tested again. Wherever possible, as with blood products used in the treatment of haemophilia, they also undergo additional manufacturing processes to remove or inactivate viruses. All batches of blood products are separately tested for viral markers of infection by the independent National Institute for Biological Standards and Control.
These arrangements fully meet the requirements laid down by the relevant European Union regulatory authority, the European Committee on Proprietary Medicinal Products. In addition, the safety of blood and blood products is kept under regular review by the expert 690W Advisory Committee on the Microbiological Safety of Blood and Tissues for Transplantation, which gives advice to Health Ministers.