§ Lord Morris of Manchesterasked Her Majesty's Government:
From what date the United Kingdom Haemophilia Doctors' Organisation has advised them and patients that recombinant is the treatment of choice for haemophilia patients on grounds of safety; what consideration was given to that advice when Lord Hunt of Kings Heath said on 6 February (HL Deb, cols 629–630) that there is no evidence "that there is an issue of safety between different products"; and what consultation the Department of Health has had with the organisation since his assurance. [HL3488]
§ Lord Hunt of Kings HeathIn 1997 the United Kingdom Haemophilia Doctors Organisation (UKHCDO) produced guidelines recommending that recombinant clotting factors should be the treatment of choice for patients with inherited bleeding disorders. The Department of Health and UKHCDO consult on a regular basis.
I said on 6 February 2002 (at col 630), "As I said, the advice that I have received is that as yet there is no evidence to suggest that there is an issue of safety between the different products".
It is generally accepted by United Kingdom clinicians that recombinant and plasma derived clotting factors are equally effective in treating clotting 60WA disorders. In guidelines produced by the United Kingdom Haemophilia Doctors Organisation, comparisons between the two types of product revolve around their relative safety, bearing in mind that no medicinal product can ever be completely free from risk. An advantage of recombinant products, where they are entirely free of human albumin, is that they eliminate the risk from blood borne viruses and the theoretical risk from vCJD. However, plasma derived clotting factors are tightly regulated by European and United States authorities to minimise the risk of viral transmission. This is achieved by the screening of donor blood and the anti-viral measures taken during manufacture. By ceasing to use UK plasma in the manufacture of blood products, the Government have already taken steps to reduce the unknown risks from vCJD.