Claims by haemophiliacs on HIV links to blood products dismissed

Public statements by the Irish Haemophilia Society (IHS) in 1989 that Blood Transfusion Service Board products had caused HIV…

Public statements by the Irish Haemophilia Society (IHS) in 1989 that Blood Transfusion Service Board products had caused HIV infection were dismissed as inaccurate at a meeting of the BTSB even though they were true, the tribunal heard.

The then chief executive officer of the board, Mr Ted Keyes, told the board he was concerned the IHS statements, which came during a campaign to get compensation for members of the society from the minister for health, would cause a reduction in blood donations.

Yesterday Mr Keyes admitted he had given inaccurate information to the board when he said the infections they referred to were caused by imported products.

The tribunal has heard that BTSB factor 9 clotting agent was responsible for infecting seven haemophiliacs with HIV in 1985 and 1986.

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Minutes of a BTSB board meeting on February 15th, 1989, were opened to the tribunal.

They record Mr Keyes expressing his concern about the IHS campaign. "The particular concern is that certain statements have been made that would indicate that some of our products were infected, whereas it is quite clear that the source of infection was imported product even though these were ordered and supplied by us to different hospitals," the minutes said.

Questioned by counsel for the tribunal, Mr John Finlay SC, Mr Keyes said he had no objection to haemophiliacs pursuing their claims. He was worried about the impact on blood collection. Counsel put it to him that the thrust of the minutes was that it was totally unfair of the IHS to give the impression BTSB products had caused infection when it was known to him and others, including Prof Ian Temperley, former director of the National Haemophilia Treatment Centre, that this was actually the case. Mr Keyes said he was aware of the infections.

Mr Finlay suggested to him that there was, therefore, nothing unfair or misleading about the IHS statement. "I accept that," Mr Keyes said.

Mr Keyes said the minutes of the meeting accurately reflected what had happened. He accepted the discussion did not reflect what the actual situation was at the time.