Serious failings on the part of State agencies are highlighted in the report of the Lindsay Tribunal, the Irish Haemophilia Society said yesterday.
In an initial response to the tribunal report, it said yesterday was a "landmark day" for haemophiliacs after years of effort by the IHS.
"The report marks the culmination of five years of lobbying on the part of the Irish Haemophilia Society to find the cause of infection to over 260 haemophilia sufferers with HIV and/or hepatitis C through contaminated blood and blood products," the IHS chairman, Mr Brian O'Mahony, told a press conference.
So far, 79 of those infected have died as a result, he said.
It was clear that the tribunal "has found that there were serious failures on the part of State agencies in relation to the haemophilia community in Ireland," he said. These failings had caused "untold death and misery".
Among other failings, the Blood Transfusion Services Board had failed to heat-treat Factor IX, which would have killed the HIV virus. It also failed to withdraw non-heat treated Factor IX. It also failed to warn treating doctors or people with haemophilia of the risks of using these products.
It was clear from the report, he said, that both Ministers for Health between 1983 and 1992 acted on incomplete and inaccurate information and that the views of the Department of Health had been based on such information.
Ms Rosemary Daly, the society's administrator, repeated calls for a full inquiry into the role of pharmaceutical companies in the infection of haemophilia sufferers.
"These questions remain unanswered," she said.
"The IHS calls on the Minister for Health to ensure that the facts surrounding the pharmaceutical companies emerge through a full and rigorous inquiry at a future date."
She said she believed the Minister was committed to holding such an inquiry and that any obstacles it might face in regard to obtaining information from the companies in question could be removed.
The issues raised in the report, and the experiences of people with haemophilia, are of importance to everybody who is dependent on treatment from the State's health system, she said.
The report criticised the poor exchange of information between doctors and centres involved in the treatment of haemophilia.
"I believe that has not changed since the terrible circumstances outlined in the report", Ms Daly said.
Mr O'Mahony said he did not want to comment yet on the tribunal's decision not to send the report to the Director of Public Prosecutions.
The IHS is to issue a more detailed response when it has studied the report.
A copy of the report had been sent to the society's solicitors early yesterday morning but it had taken almost until 2 p.m. to get a second copy for the society's officers to read. They had not had an opportunity to study it in any detail, he said.
It should be remembered that the members of the society still needed its help and support, Ms Daly said.
One of the tasks of the society will be to ensure the recommendations made by the tribunal are carried out.
"We are not going away," said Mr O'Mahony.