Former Blood Bank chief faces virus inquiry

FORMER chief medical officer of the Blood Transfusion Service Dr Terry Walsh is facing a formal inquiry into his actions in the Hepatitis C infection scandal.

The Irish Medical Council (IMC) has been conducting an inquiry for more than two months, it emerged last night.

The IMC, which polices doctors' behaviour, issued proceedings on the Irish Blood Transfusion Service to hand over documentation produced for the Finlay Blood Tribunal.

It is the first time any individual in the blood infection controversy has faced an assessment of their professional conduct.

The inquiry relates to the infection of people with Hepatitis C through blood and blood products.

Dr Walsh joined the Blood Bank in 1969 and became its chief medical officer in 1988.

He gave evidence at two inquiries into the blood supply scandal including the Lindsay Tribunal into the infection of people with haemophilia.

Dr Walsh also testified at the Finlay Tribunal in the mid-1990s which investigated how Hepatitis C contaminated the anti-D blood product made at Pelican House the old Blood Bank headquarters.

He retired from the Blood Bank in 1995 on full pension and now practices privately in Dublin.

Dr Walsh, who could not be contacted last night, is expected to vigorously defend his actions and reject any suggestions of misconduct.

Irishhealth.com revealed last night it had learned of the inquiry.

Fergal Bowers of IrishHealth.com said the development was significant for the medical profession.

The IMC is holding a Fitness to Practice Inquiry into the actions of Dr Walsh who was found by the Finlay Blood Tribunal to be in important neglect of his duty in the infection scandal where over 1,000 women were contaminated with the hepatitis C virus.

The IMC can censure, suspend or strike doctors off the register for professional misconduct.

Dr Walsh retired from the service after an Expert Group Report found he knew of a letter in 1991 showing a clear link between hepatitis C and the product Anti-D.

The Finlay Tribunal in 1997 also found he failed to direct the non-use of product obtained from a patient as soon as he knew she had hepatitis.

The blood controversy arose again last week when regional director of the Blood Bank in Munster, Dr Joan Power claimed a senior Department of Health official wanted to bury her after she criticised the State's response to aspects of the Hepatitis C disaster.

She said she should have personally called blood donors testing positive for the virus in the early 1990s but they were not immediately told.