The taintedblood Timeline  -  what really happened...

A pasteurization procedure is developed and licensed in Germany by blood product manufacturer Behringwerke AG. It involves heating factor concentrates at 60°C for ten hours. An article demonstrating the efficacy of the pasteurization process is published the same year.

Note: Other manufacturers are reluctant to adopt this technique over concerns regarding:

• 50-90% loss of yield,
• factor supply could be in jeopardy
• pasteurized factor will cost ten times more
• concerns over the effectiveness of inactivating non-A non-B hepatitis
• patients might develop inhibitors.

Cutter receives US license to distribute factor concentrates subjected to a liquid pasteurisation process involving heating at 60°C for ten hours.

Bayer publishes a patented method for the pasteurization of Factor VIII.

It is now known (in 1987) that dry heating is ineffective in preventing Non-A Non-B Hepatitis. In a scientific meeting, Miss Cunningham, discusses various methods of heat treatment, and notes that the British protocol of pasteurisation of 80° Centigrade for 72 hours is effective against transmission of Non-A, Non-B Hepatitis and AIDS.