P. J. Sheehan
Question:57 Mr. Sheehan asked the Minister for Health and Children if he will make a statement on press reports (details supplied) that the United States drug watchdog has recommended a ban on Irish blood donations. [5514/01]
Written Answers. - Blood Donations.
The press report referred to by the Deputy states that the Food and Drug Administration in the United States has recommended a ban on blood donations from any person who has lived in Ireland for ten years since 1980. My understanding is that this recommendation was made to the Food and Drug Administration by its transmissible spongiform encephalopathies advisory committee, and that the FDA itself has not yet taken a decision on this matter. The recommendation by the TSE advisory committee was made as a result of its meeting on January 18 in Bethseda, Maryland, when the committee considered a proposal to revise guidelines to include potential donors who have lived an aggregate of ten years in France, Ireland or Portugal. The committee considered that France and Portugal had a higher risk of BSE than other European countries. In addition they proposed adding Ireland to the list "because Ireland has a new vCJD case and probably frequent travel to the U.K., as evidence by that vCJD patient possibly contracting the disease in the United Kingdom". The committee voted on the question and the outcome of the vote was eight members in favour of the proposed deferral, seven against, and one abstention.
The FDA's present guidelines ask blood centres to exclude potential donors who have spent six or more cumulative months in the United Kingdom between 1 January 1980 and 31 December 1996 from donating blood.
In this country, additional strategies are being examined by the Irish Blood Transfusion Service to address the concerns about the possible risk of transmission of vCJD by blood transfusion. The principle measures for decision concern deferral of donors who resided in the UK for defined periods and the sourcing of blood products from countries which are free of BSE. The IBTS is also considering the deferral of donors who themselves have had a blood transfusion. Such donors are deferred at present for a period of twelve months after a transfusion. Deferrals of donors in such combined circumstances would reduce the current donor pool by approximately 20% to 25% which would have serious implications for the hospital services and consequently for patient care.
Given the need to take full account of the balance of risks involved, the IBTS arranged a special conference on 15 February last which involved national and international experts on vCJD and blood transfusion. The conference considered existing and planned strategies relevant to vCJD and a special board meeting has been arranged for today, 28 February, to consider the outcome of the conference and decide on the most appropriate strategies in the light of the expert opinion. The IBTS will also liaise with the CJD advisory group in relation to any proposals relevant to vCJD which it proposes to implement. I have assured the board that I will ensure that it is adequately resourced to introduce new measures which are considered necessary to further improve blood safety.
Question No. 58 answered with Question No. 48.