Blood service plans to tighten vCJD restrictions

THE Irish Blood Transfusion Service intends to introduce tighter restrictions on donations early next year to further reduce the risk of vCJD being transmitted through blood.

People who lived in Britain for five years or more between 1980 and 1996 are currently excluded from giving blood. IBTS national medical director Willie Murphy said it plans to exclude donors who lived in Britain for only 12 months during this period.

Dr Murphy, speaking at the launch of the blood bank’s 2001 report, said there was no clinical proof vCJD is transmitted through blood but the measure was being introduced as a precaution.

He said the plan was to introduce the restriction early in 2003.

Dr Murphy said it was not currently possible to quantify the risk of vCJD being transmitted through blood but added: “We are working on the assumption that it might be possible.”

He said the blood bank had taken all measures within its power to diminish any risk. It was known the animal version of the disease, BSE, could be spread by transfusion between sheep.

Meanwhile, Acting chief executive Andrew Kelly confirmed the blood bank believed there were 31 people who tested positive for Hepatitis C antibodies in the early 1990s but were not immediately informed of the result. One was a false positive.

The IBTS has been contacting the people concerned and all, bar one, has been informed by the blood bank. The matter is expected to become the subject of a separate inquiry.