The taintedblood Timeline  -  what really happened...

In a Haemophilia Centre Directors' Organisation meeting in September 1982, there is not only knowledge of AIDS infecting haemophiliacs in the USA, but also, there is some understanding of the possible involvement of commercial blood products.

Dr Craske is tasked with looking into reports of the syndrome in 3 haemophiliacs from the United States. HCDO minutes state that: "It appeared that there was a remote possibility that commercial blood products had been involved."

In a PHLS letter of January 1983, rather remarkably, we read that the author, Dr J. Craske, considered the problem related to the investigation of factor VIII-related Acquired Immune Deficiency Syndrome (AIDS) "satisfactorily resolved".

His inadequate solution reads as follows: "The problem related to the investigation of factor VIII related Acquired Immune Deficiency Syndrome (AIDS) has been satisfactorily resolved. We will report any patient detected in the U.K. who has received U.K. commercial factor VIII direct to the C.D.C. and will at the same time notify C.D.S.C. at Colindale."

Background: On 13 September 1982, Dr Craske was tasked with looking into reports of the syndrome in 3 haemophiliacs from the United States. The HCDO minutes stated that: "It appeared that there was a remote possibility that commercial blood products had been involved." We hardly think that putting in place a simple detection and reporting protocol could be considered a satisfactory resolution to the problems surrounding AIDS and commercial factor VIII. We are appalled that more wasn't done.

Note: The reference on the letter from the PHLS of 10th January 1982, shows the letters "JC", which we believe are the initials for Dr John Craske.