THE haemophilia HIV inquiry should investigate the pharmaceutical companies which supplied contaminated blood products as well as the State agencies, the Labour Party health spokeswoman has said. Ms Liz McManus said any new tribunal should allow the Blood Transfusion Service Board to "finally put behind it the scandals of recent years".
The tribunal is expected to start later this year to investigate the contamination of blood products with the HIV and hepatitis C viruses. More than 200 haemophiliacs have been infected, with up to half that number infected with both HIV and hepatitis C. Sixty-four people infected since 1987 have died, 59 of them from AIDS.
"It is important, however, that the inquiry is not just confined to the State agencies but that it will also investigate the circumstances surrounding the supply of contaminated blood products by large pharmaceutical companies," Ms McManus said.
The Cabinet approved last week draft terms of reference proposed by the Irish Haemophilia Society. The IHS announced this development to more than 100 members at its annual conference in Kerry at the weekend. "The response has been so emotional it's made it all worthwhile," IHS administrator Ms Rosemary Daly said. The society withdrew from the 1997 Finlay tribunal, which investigated the contamination of Anti-D with hepatitis C virus, because it was not included in the terms of reference.
The proposals for the scope of the new tribunal include ascertaining the source of contamination, the role of the BTSB and the level of scientific knowledge about blood contamination. Selection, screening, quarantine and tracing procedures would also be examined. The IHS also wants the tribunal to look at the role of the National Drugs Advisory Board.
The Government is to review compensation payments already made to haemophiliacs, a spokesman for the Department of Health said. In 1991 £8 million was awarded to those infected. However, the share of that payment was just £20,000 compensation for someone with no dependants, rising to £101,000 for a married person with children.
