Dáil Éireann debate -
Wednesday, 16 Dec 1998

Vol. 498 No. 5

Written Answers. - Hepatitis Infection.

Alan Shatter

Question:

159 Mr. Shatter asked the Minister for Health and Children if testing has been conducted in each batch of anti-D administered to a person (details supplied) in County Tipperary who corresponded with him on 4 September 1998 explaining her predicament; and, if not, if he and the Blood Transfusion Services Board will accept that she contracted hepatitis C as a result of being administered contaminated anti-D supplied by the board. [27983/98]

Minister for Health and Children (Mr. Cowen)

The person concerned indicated in her letter to me on 4 September 1998 that she received anti-D in 1972, 1973, 1974 and 1982. Her letter was replied to on 29 September. Every batch number of anti-D has been identified. My Department has been advised that a total of 621 batches were manufactured between 1970 and 1994. Some 336 of these batches have been tested for the presence of hepatitis C including all batches sourced from plasma taken from patient X. In the years 1973-86, 62 batches were manufactured of which 41 have been tested. In relation to the period prior to October 1973, archived samples of batches produced are not availing for testing but the Blood Transfusion Service Board has advised that it has no evidence to suggest that these batches were infectious. In the period September 1973 to December 1973, eight batches were manufactured and six were tested. In 1974, 32 batches were manufactured, 22 were tested. In 1982, 29 batches were manufactured and 16 were tested.

The Blood Transfusion Service Board has tested all batches where there is evidence of infection or potential infection. It has also tested batches which were selected to be representative of the various donors to the plasma pool, to rule out the possibility of infection.

The person in question has advised that her hepatitis is type 2. The Blood Transfusion Service Board has confirmed that extensive scientific testing of anti-D batches carried out in the University of London Medical School and the University of Edinburgh has not shown any evidence of type 2 infections associated with that product.

As the Deputy is aware, the Oireachtas enacted the Hepatitis C Compensation Tribunal Act, 1997, which established the compensation tribunal. Section 4(8) of the Act provides that a claimant shall establish to the satisfaction of the tribunal, on the balance of probabilities, that the hepatitis C resulted from the use of human immunoglobulin anti-D within the State. It is a matter for the tribunal, therefore, to make a determination on causation in each individual case. Section 5(15) of the Act provides for an appeal to the High Court by a claimant in respect of any decision made by the tribunal.