Blood Products Contamination

Dáil Éireann Debate, Tuesday - 15 April 2014

Tuesday, 15 April 2014

Ceisteanna (630)

Caoimhghín Ó Caoláin

Ceist:

630. Deputy Caoimhghín Ó Caoláin asked the Minister for Health further to Parliamentary Question No. 2 of 16 May 2012, and his stated willingness to review the matter with a view to finding some definable way of addressing it to everybody’s satisfaction, if he will use his powers under the Hepatitis C Compensation Tribunal Act 1997 to make available the measures provided for the majority who have tested positive, to the small number of women who received blood products from contaminated batches of anti-D in the 1977-79 and 1991-1994 periods but who are testing negative while experiencing severe health problems consistent with testing positive; and if he will schedule a date to meet with representatives of the Positive Action group. [17820/14]

Freagraí scríofa

Minister for Health

Section 4 of the Hepatitis C Compensation Tribunal Act (No.34 of l997), as amended, sets out the categories of persons who can make a claim before the Tribunal. The 2006 amendment to this Act (Hepatitis C Compensation Tribunal (Amendment) Act, 2006) defined that those who can make a claim must have been "diagnosed positive for Hepatitis C". It is estimated that up to 16,000 women in Ireland were exposed to potentially infectious batches of Anti-D. Approximately 1,000 of these were infected with Hepatitis C and were therefore eligible to apply to the Tribunal for compensation.

The issue of recipients of Anti-D who have not tested positive for Hepatitis C and who have not had a positive Tribunal decision in their favour has been fully considered. While some women who have tested negative for Hepatitis C have experienced a variety of symptoms, there is no scientific proof that the symptoms are evidence of Hepatitis C infection. Indeed, some symptoms of Hepatitis C, such as fatigue, fibromyalgia and depression, are common conditions among the general population. In view of this, and in the light of practice internationally, I have no plans for legislative change in this area.