News
One in 4,000 recipients of fresh frozen plasma could be susceptible to vCJD,
Tuesday 15 May 2012
From Hansard:
Blood: Contamination
Health 14th May 2012
Paul Beresford (Mole Valley, Conservative)
To ask the Secretary of State for Health with reference to the estimate by the Safety of Blood, Tissues and Organs Advisory Committee that one in 4,000 recipients of fresh frozen plasma could be susceptible to vCJD, what steps he plans to take to mitigate that risk.
Anne Milton (Parliamentary Under Secretary of State (Public Health), Health; Guildford, Conservative)
The one in 4,000 figure relates to the potential level of unidentified asymptomatic infection with abnormal prion protein within the population and this figure was first set out in a study published in 2004. Because of the scientific uncertainties about the potential incubation period of human prion diseases, such as variant Creutzfeldt-Jakob disease (vCJD), and the potential level of unidentified asymptomatic infection in the population, the Department's focus is to manage potential risks of person to person transmission using evidence based and cost effective measures. The following actions are among those taken with respect of the risk of anyone potentially carrying the abnormal prion protein associated with human prion diseases:
- since December 1997, blood and tissues from individuals who later develop vCJD, have been withdrawn to prevent use;
- since October 1999, white blood cells have been reduced in all blood used for transfusion;
- since 2004 individuals who had themselves received a blood transfusion of blood since January 1980 were excluded from donating blood;
- since 1999, plasma for the making clotting factors for treating patients with bleeding disorders, has been obtained from non-United Kingdom sources; and synthetic (recombinant) clotting factors have been provided to those under 16 since 1998 and for all suitable patients since 2005;
- fresh frozen plasma for use in those born after 1 January 1996 is imported;
- for over 10 years the independent scientific Advisory Committee on Dangerous Pathogens (ACDP) Transmissible Spongiform Encephalopathy (TSE) Risk Management Sub-Group has also issued guidance on managing potential transmission risks. This guidance is available at:
www.dh.gov.uk/ab/ACDP/TSEguidance/index.htm
since 2000 the CJD Incidents Panel has provided guidance to health services on the management of incidents involving possible CJD transmission between patients. Information on the Panel's activities can be found at:
www.hpa.org.uk/web/HPAweb&Page&HPAwebAutoList ame/Page/1204031511121
Article submitted by Sue Threakall