Blood test for vCJD may be here by summer

A NEW blood test for the human form of mad cow disease, Creutzfeldt-Jacob Disease (vCJD), could be available this summer.

The Irish Blood Transfusion Service’s national medical director Dr William Murphy said yesterday he is hopeful EU approval for the test could be secured soon.

The blood bank would be asking for e3 million a year in Government funding to include the test in its screening process. Currently, blood donations are tested for a range of different conditions, including syphilis, hepatitis and HIV.