DPP: Transfusion board expert aware of blood product risks in 1977

THE DPP has contemporary evidence from witnesses and documents indicating that the former Principal Biochemist in the Blood Transfusion Service Board, Cecily Cunningham, was aware of a risk of infected anti-D blood product from 1977 and had inadequately responded to that risk, the High Court was told yesterday.

There was “prima facie evidence” that Ms Cunningham had expertise in relation to blood products and the risk of infection, Mr Shane Murphy SC, for the DPP, said.

There was evidence Ms Cunningham was not, as she was arguing in her action to stop her trial, a peripheral player or “a casual onlooker”, but was actively involved in the process that had “given rise to these harmful events”.