Vol. 543 No. 3
127 Mr. R. Bruton asked the Minister for Health and Children if there are circumstances in which persons are automatically screened for diseases or medical conditions without their consent; and if so, the circumstances in which this can occur. [27162/01]
I am not aware of any circumstances where persons are automatically screened for diseases or medical conditions without their consent. However, anonymous unlinked antenatal testing for HIV has been in place in Ireland since 1992. Tests are carried out on blood specimens routinely collected for rubella serology from pregnant women who book into the antenatal clinics. No identifying information is recorded and the residual serum is therefore unlinked and anonymous. The objectives of HIV surveillance are to obtain information on the incidence and preva lence of HIV in specific population groups in a manner that is as free as possible from bias, and to look at the determinants of the spread of infection in those groups.
Since 1999 an antenatal linked testing programme for HIV has commenced. Consent must be sought from a woman prior to this test being carried out. The two programmes are running concurrently until there is an uptake rate of at least 90% of the linked programme.
