IHS continues to criticise leading doctors

The Irish Haemophiliac Society has lambasted a second leading haemophilia consultant in its closing submission to the Lindsay Tribunal.

Following severe criticism of Professor Ian Temperley this morning, lawyers for the IHS turned their attention to Dr Paula Cotter, the head of Cork’s haemophilia treatment centre from 1979.

Ms Cotter was responsible for 38 patients who contracted HIV and Hepatitis C from blood products distributed by her centre.

The IHS said she failed to alert the Blood Transfusion Service to the infectivity of blood products and the knowing continued use of them.

Lawyers for the group described her actions as “reckless and grossly negligent”, words also used to describe the actions of Professor Temperley, the former director of the Irish haemophiliac treatment centre.

The IHS accused Mr Temperley of encouraging the use of unsafe blood products, even though it was widely known that they carried the HIV and Hepatitis C viruses.