"Blood Money" TV programmes about US blood companies not to be viewed in public

RTE NEWS ^ | Friday, July 7 2000 | Staff

[adanaC]

http://www.rte.ie/news/2000/0707/lindsay.html TV programmes about US blood companies not to be viewed in public

Friday, July 07 2000

Judge Alison Lindsay ruled against a public viewing of programmes There has been a ruling at the Lindsay Tribunal not to allow three World In Action programmes, which made serious allegations against US blood companies, to be viewed in public. Judge Alison Lindsay ruled that the programmes were records of allegations rather than fact, that interviewees could not be cross-examined and that they could blur the issues she must consider. 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. Related Stories Heated exchanges take place at Lindsay Tribunal Blood Transfusion Service records shredded on orders of Chief Technical Officer Lindsay Tribunal hears how BTS records were destroyed in bulk Lindsay Tribunal hears evidence on clotting agent deal

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http://www.rte.ie/news/2000/0714/lindsay.html

Haemophiliac probably infected with HIV from clotting agent

Friday, July 14 2000

Dr Emer Lawlor said clotting agent was most likely the source of haemophiliac's infection A haemophiliac probably became infected with HIV from a clotting agent given at St James hospital, which the Blood Transfusion Service had already returned to the manufacturer. The disclosure was made at the Lindsay Tribunal during the final day of the cross-examination of Dr Emer Lawlor, BTS Deputy Medical Director, by the Haemophilia Society. 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. Budge's Links to the Tainted Arkansas Prison Blood Story Page One Page Two Page Three Page Four Latest 100 'Blood Trail' Posts on the Free Republic BLOOD TRAIL -- Clinton  BLOOD TRAIL -- Timeline  BLOOD TRAIL - Who, What, Where …  FOR THOSE WHO BELIEVE OUR GOVERNMENTS DIDN'T KNOW!!!

 

1976 Blood Money: What Canadian Red Cross donors didn’t know (1976)

1978 HEPATITIS AGENT: They've named it for what it isn't

(Early 70s) Poisoned blood left thousands to suffer unaided
with transcripts from an embargoed Canadian 1976 fifth Estate TV show "Bad Blood".

RCMP will not lay charges against government bureaucrats who destroyed crucial evidence

[T'wit]

Thank you!

[T'wit]

> maybe they could "tweak" the screen play?

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.

[T'wit]

I had to do some fast talking to get Mike to drop in at Slick Willy's. He didn't know what Freepers were and was plenty worried about it. ... As I recall, there are photos of that memorable meeting at Budge's site. I got a couple of really good ones of Sweet Sweet :-)

[T'wit]

> I haven't been able to update the site yet though

Good luck on that. Perhaps Askel5 can help -- when she recovers from St. Pat's parties :-) :-)

[T'wit]

> The seark site is still up.

That's Bloodhound business. You shouldn't be paying for that! We 'hounds ought to chip in and pick up the tab.

[Great Dane]

What are we paying for..... how much, and how do you want it. ? :-}

[T'wit]

> What are we paying for.....

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 :-) :-)

[Budge]

Heavens, I don't know. $20 a month, maybe? Budge, what do you pay that ISP? Any other expenses?

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.

[T'wit]

You shouldn't have to pay that. You already do your share and more with the time and labor and dedication you put into it. We'll reimburse you (right, gang?).

$180 a year for Seark.net Any related expenses?

[Budge]

$180 a year for Seark.net Any related expenses?

None that I would want to be reimbursed for.

[T'wit]

> None that I would want to be reimbursed for.

Wining and dining the ladies is not what I had in mind, you rascal.

[Budge]

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.

[T'wit]

> If you want to head up something for reimbursment, fine.

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?

[timestax]

bttt

[timestax]

bump