HC Deb 12 February 2004 vol 417 cc1684-5W
Mr. Havard

To ask the Secretary of State for Health if he will list the countries from which the NHS purchases plasma and blood products; and in which of these countries there have been cases of(a) CJD, (b) vCJD and (c) BSE. [153861]

Miss Melanie Johnson

Plasma for fractionation into plasma products and fresh frozen plasma for neonates and children born after 1 January 1996 is imported from the United States. There has been one case of variant CJD in the US in a patient who had been resident in the United Kingdom. In December 2003, the US reported one case of BSE. Naturally occurring CJD occurs in one in one million people world-wide.

Mr. Havard

To ask the Secretary of State for Health whether the National Blood Transfusion Committee has completed its contingency logistics plan on how to deal with possible blood shortages resulting from measures taken to reduce the risk of transmission of vCJD by blood transfusion; and when it will be published. [153862]

Miss Melanie Johnson

The National Blood Transfusion Committee (NBTC) has been developing contingency plans relating to blood shortages in general and not specifically to shortages resulting from any measures taken to reduce the possible transmission of vCJD through blood transfusion. The NBTC will distribute plans to hospitals later this year.

Mr. Havard

To ask the Secretary of State for Health what plans he has to ban foreign nationals who have received blood in countries with confirmed cases of BSE from donating blood in the UK. [153863]

Miss Melanie Johnson

There are no plans to ban foreign nationals from donating blood. The Government Expert Advisory Committee on the Microbiological Safety of Blood and Tissue for Transplantation continues to keep this issue under review.

Mr. Havard

To ask the Secretary of State for Health pursuant to his statement on developments in variant CJD of 17 December 2003,Official Report, columns 1571–85, what steps he is taking to encourage the NHS to move towards the greater use of alternatives to blood in non-emergency medical cases. [153878]

Miss Melanie Johnson

The Chief Medical Officer's national blood transfusion committee meets in March 2004 and will consider additional proposals for supporting hospitals in the implementation of the "Better Blood Transfusion: Appropriate Use of Blood" initiative. The Department will consider the advice of the committee in deciding the best way forward.