Preliminary hearings in a fresh legal action by 20 HIV-infected haemophiliacs against five pharmaceutical firms will begin in the High Court next week. The companies had supplied contaminated blood products to the Republic.
The move follows a £5.3 million "no fault" settlement last month between 59 infected haemophiliacs and the same group of companies, which include Baxter Healthcare Corp, Armour Pharmaceuticals and Miles Laboratories Inc, a part of the Bayer Group.
It is understood the latest action was initiated before last month's out-of-court settlement.
The case is being handled by solicitors Malcomson Law, who also represent the Irish Haemophilia Society at the Lindsay tribunal.
Similar actions have been taken in other countries, including the US where in 1997 four pharmaceutical companies, including Bayer and Baxter, paid 6,000 haemophiliacs $100,000 each.
In an earlier settlement in Japan, HIV-infected haemophiliacs were awarded $450,000 each.
The Department of Health has indicated that haemophiliacs involved in last month's commercial settlement, which resulted in compensation averaging about £60,000 for each person, will not be excluded from its HIV compensation tribunal.
It is to be established in accordance with a Government pledge three years ago.
There is a possibility, however, that compensation received from drugs firms will be deducted from State payments.
Of the 105 cases of HIV infection among Irish haemophiliacs, 97 are believed to have been caused by commercial concentrates.
