The taintedblood Timeline  -  what really happened...

In a Guardian article of Tuesday, 15th April, 1986, we learn that 2 months earlier, Dr Donald Acheson, Chief Medical Officer, dismissed evidence of patients being infected by heat-treated Factor 8:

"Doctors in Amsterdam reported that a 27-year-old man had been infected after being given supplies of the blood clotting agent which had been heat-treated to kill the virus..."

"Senior Department of Health and Social Security officials were studying the report yesterday."

"Two months ago the Government's Chief Medical Officer, Dr Donald Acheson, dismissed evidence that Dutch patients had been infected by heat-treated Factor 8, and assured British haemophiliacs that US supplies were safe."

Legal Note: There was little question, in this case, of a clear causal relationship between the conduct of a US blood product manufacturer and the result of this commercial product on the patient - since the Amsterdam-based physicians had reported in the Lancet that their patient had been given exclusively heat-treated Factor VIII originating from the United States.

NOTE: There were grave consequences to the CMO's dismissal of the Dutch evidence. Only a week later, (on 21 February 1986) Armour batch A28306 is found to be the likely cause of HIV infection in a UK haemophiliac. By late September '86, Armour's H.T. Factorate is again reported to have led to seroconversions in another two haemophiliacs in the UK.

In the Minutes of the 95th Meeting of the SEAC in 2006, it is clear that they wish to anonymously screen samples of donated blood using a prototype blood test. The discussion revolves around a test that can provide substantial data relatively quickly, but that the success of which will depend upon the performance of the prototype blood tests and they are used to confirm reactive samples from the initial screening tests. (Page 18)

Note: We have to wonder if our blood samples might have already been tested without our consent? We also wonder what pre-and post-test counselling provisions will be put in place, if any?