IBTS admits blood was sold without donors’ permission

A STARTLING admission by the blood bank that it sold blood and blood products to pharmaceutical firms without the express permission of donors was described as “disturbing” by Health Minister Mary Harney last night.

Donated blood was sold to 23 pharmaceutical firms over a period of almost 20 years and the blood bank was paid over €106,000 for the products. The practice ended in March 2002.

Over 3,800 units of blood and blood products were supplied to pharmaceutical firms, of which 1,344 were fresh products, while the balance was out of date.