Two campaign groups for people infected with hepatitis C and HIV through blood and brood products have joined the Irish Haemophilia Society in expressing concern at comments by the Minister for Justice last week over the need to investigate the infections.
In separate statements last night, Positive Action and Transfusion Positive said they were concerned the Government might renege on its promise to investigate not only the role of multinational drugs firms in the infection of haemophiliacs, but also the circumstances surrounding a delay by the Blood Transfusion Service Board in informing donors of positive test results for hepatitis C.
The latter issue is the subject of a promised inquiry, announced last July by the Minister for Health, Mr Martin. Since the announcement, however, the Minister has failed to enter into discussions on the nature of that investigation, the two groups say.
Ms Detta Warnock of Postive Action, the support group for women infected with hepatitis C, said it "fully supports" the IHS in its demand for an investigation of the pharmaceutical companies, adding "we have always advocated full disclosure" on all issues surrounding the contamination of blood and blood products.
