Posted on 03/03/2002 3:12:56 PM PST by adanaC
TV programmes about US blood companies
not to be viewed in public
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Friday, July 07 2000 |
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John Trainor, Senior Counsel for the Haemophilia Society, had made the application for the programmes to be viewed stating that they were "clearly relevant". He said that the Blood Transfusion Services committed an act of "irresponsible madness" when it continued to deal with the US company Travenol without having investigated the allegations after broadcast. Mr Trainor charged that it was "grossly irresponsible" that the Board of the BTS did not reconsider distributing the Travenol concentrated clotting agent. He said that the programmes had brought into the focus the need for Ireland to be self-sufficient in the production of blood supplies and accused the Board of "unforgivable" inactivity. Mr Trainor stated that the Haemophilia Society's ability to participate in the Tribunal would be "greatly hindered" if the programmes were not admitted in evidence. The application for a public viewing was opposed by Senior Counsel for the Tribunal, Mr Finlay. In her ruling, Judge Lindsay stated that she had viewed the programmes and considered the arguments, but decided against a public viewing. However, she ordered that transcripts of the programme be made available and said that the allegations could then be put to any witness. The World in Action programmes, two of which were transmitted as part of a series in 1975, investigated US blood companies, how they screed blood donors who were being paid for donations and the risk of blood products being infected with Hepatitis. |
Haemophiliac probably infected with HIV from clotting agent | Friday, July 14 2000 | |||
Dr Lawlor stated that she believed a clotting agent made by the firm 'Armour' and given to the haemophiliac at St James in Feb 1986 was most likely the source of his infection. She told the Tribunal that the BTS had earlier returned all of its Armour products to the company because Irish made concentrates, which were considered to be safer, were coming on stream. However Armour re-issued the product to St James' hospital and, in the view of Dr Lawlor, it was 'most likely' to have been the source of the HIV infection. Dr Lawlor agreed with John Trainor, Senior Counsel for the Irish Haemophilia Society that the destruction of 20 years of BTS dispatch records had made it more difficult to establish where the Armour batch had gone to. The Tribunal also heard extracts from two World In Action programmes, broadcast in 1975, which made serious allegations about a US blood firm and how it collected plasma to make blood products. The programmes which were entitled 'Blood Money' alleged to show how a division of the Baxter group did not apply its own donor screening procedures and increased the risks of hepatitis. Dr Lawlor stated that the risks of infection were known by the BTS, treating doctors and users but the benefits to haemophiliacs outweighed those considerations. She told the Tribunal that she would have put her own child on concentrates despite the known risks, because of what she termed 'the horror of untreated bleeds'. Dr Lawlor will return to the stand on Monday when she will be cross-examined by another party.
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I don't know what tweaking M would put up with. It was his decision how much to fictionalize. I think the story has real dramatic power as it is and I'd hate to see any cuts or changes.
Good luck on that. Perhaps Askel5 can help -- when she recovers from St. Pat's parties :-) :-)
That's Bloodhound business. You shouldn't be paying for that! We 'hounds ought to chip in and pick up the tab.
Internet Service Provider fees for the Tainted Blood archives (the Seark.net address). Related expenses, if any.
> how much, and how do you want it. ? :-}
Heavens, I don't know. $20 a month, maybe? Budge, what do you pay that ISP? Any other expenses?
Thanks, angel :-) :-)
I've kept it up at $15.00 a month ever since I got cable modem about a year ago. I wasn't about to let it go, still won't! The Blood Trail posts is the only thing I use it for.
$180 a year for Seark.net Any related expenses?
None that I would want to be reimbursed for.
Wining and dining the ladies is not what I had in mind, you rascal.
Well shucks!
If you want to head up something for reimbursment, fine. If not, I understand.
I'm going to be on the road in a few days and won't have a minute to myself until well after I'm home again. Perhaps Great Dane could chair the fundraising? At least till I get back?
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