|
Posted on 03/29/2002 1:58:25 PM PST by BLOODHOUND (askel5)
By Joe Humphreys
THE IRISH TIMES
March 21, 2002
The Minister for Health and Children is to meet the Irish Haemophilia Society today in an effort to reach agreement on the twin issues of compensation for HIV-infected haemophiliacs and the establishment of a new tribunal of inquiry into the infections ahead of the general election.
Mr Martin is due to present the society with the heads of a Bill giving effect to a promised revision of a 1991 "no fault" settlement with those infected.
He is also to discuss the findings of a report by Mr Paul Gardiner SC into the feasibility of investigating the role of overseas pharmaceutical companies in the infection tragedy.
Both issues were raised at yesterday's Cabinet meeting. However, no decision was made on whether to establish a tribunal of inquiry on the drugs firms.
The Minister said yesterday he would discuss the full contents of the so-called Gardiner report with the IHS before making a decision on the matter. He noted the advice of American lawyers, whose opin- ion Mr Gardiner had sought, could have an impact on that decision.
Mr Gardiner was asked by the Minister to travel to the US to investigate the matter after the chairwoman of the Lindsay tribunal ruled last July against inquiring into the companies, contrary to the wishes of the IHS.
The report is expected to lay out the legal obstacles to such an inquiry rather than recommend what the Minister should do. As part of his inquiries, Mr Gardiner examined the prospect of acces- sing documentation held in a Florida depository which relate to the infections and were used in litigation in the US.
The IHS has argued that, because many of the pharmaceutical companies have offices in the Republic, a tribunal of inquiry would be entitled to demand their testimony. It is not clear, however, whether employees in parent companies in the US would be obliged to give evidence.
As for the settlement review, Mr Martin has indicated his willingness to expedite the introduction of legislation which would allow for additional payments to haemophiliacs infected with HIV. He is understood to have agreed to make lawyers from his Department available for meetings with IHS lawyers this weekend to hammer out a deal.
The compensation review follows the Government's admission in 1999 that the 1991 settlement, which then cost the State around €10 million, was not fair.
The 11-year-old settlement contained a crude scale of payments from £20,000 (€25,400) to the family of a deceased haemophiliac with no dependants to a maximum of £100,000 (€127,000) for a married man with children who was still alive. Haemophiliacs told the Lindsay tribunal last year how they felt they had no choice but to sign the deal as to do otherwise would have deprived fellow victims, who were dying, of some late comfort in their lives.
An estimated 105 haemophiliacs were infected with HIV through imported and BTSB-made blood products. Some 64 have since died.
Today's meeting follows the decision to begin serving writs against the Minister over his failure to legislate on the review. The society pledged to serve one writ a week until the general election unless the matter is resolved.
|
|
A little rusty ...
>News/Activism #1: HIV blood came from Arkansas jail
Due to limitations of the former software, attributes of this comment are not available.
News/Activism #2: What's with this Jay Leno guy?
Due to limitations of the former software, attributes of this comment are not available.
News/Activism #2: Web Site for RCMP
Due to limitations of the former software, attributes of this comment are not available.
News/Activism #1: What's with this Jay Leno guy?
Due to limitations of the former software, attributes of this comment are not available.
News/Activism #2: Please ignore.
Due to limitations of the former software, attributes of this comment are not available.
News/Activism #2: CLINTON AND THE KILLER BLOOD
Due to limitations of the former software, attributes of this comment are not available.
News/Activism #1: Book Review
Due to limitations of the former software, attributes of this comment are not available.
News/Activism #1: 31 MORE MAY FACE CHARGES IN BLOOD SCANDAL
Due to limitations of the former software, attributes of this comment are not available.
News/Activism #1: Canadians blame FDA for allowing export of tainted blood
Due to limitations of the former software, attributes of this comment are not available.
News/Activism #1: CLINTON AND THE KILLER BLOOD
Due to limitations of the former software, attributes of this comment are not available.
News/Activism #1: BAD BLOOD: 1998 CANADIAN STORIES OF THE YEAR - Hep C No. 8
Due to limitations of the former software, attributes of this comment are not available.
News/Activism #1: Ex-Minister Won't Appeal Blood Rule
Due to limitations of the former software, attributes of this comment are not available.
News/Activism #2: BAD BLOOD: Pre-1963 Polio Vaccines May Be Killing Hundreds Through Cancer
Due to limitations of the former software, attributes of this comment are not available.
News/Activism #1: WRITTEN IN BLOOD: Interview with Michael Sullivan, Blood Trail author
Due to limitations of the former software, attributes of this comment are not available.
News/Activism #1: BAD BLOOD: Pre-1963 Polio Vaccines May Be Killing Hundreds Through Cancer
Due to limitations of the former software, attributes of this comment are not available.
News/Activism #1: New Hep C Lawsuit on Behalf of Child Victims
Due to limitations of the former software, attributes of this comment are not available.
News/Activism #1: Hunt Begins in Blood Scare
Due to limitations of the former software, attributes of this comment are not available.
News/Activism #1: Web Site for RCMP
Due to limitations of the former software, attributes of this comment are not available.
News/Activism #1: Clinton's Arkansas Blood Scandal
Due to limitations of the former software, attributes of this comment are not available.
News/Activism #1: BAD BLOOD: FDA Defends Export of High-Risk Blood
Due to limitations of the former software, attributes of this comment are not available.
News/Activism #2: Blood Money: Tainted plasma from Arkansas prisoners still reverberates in Canada.
Due to limitations of the former software, attributes of this comment are not available.
News/Activism #1: BAD BLOOD: TAINTED BLOOD SCANDAL GETS MURKY
Due to limitations of the former software, attributes of this comment are not available.
News/Activism #1: TAINTED BLOOD SCANDAL: Red Cross Goes On the Offensive
Due to limitations of the former software, attributes of this comment are not available.
News/Activism #35: ATTENTION BLOODHOUNDS
Due to limitations of the former software, attributes of this comment are not available.
News/Activism #24: BLOOD TRAIL: WHO WHAT WHERE ... [Free Republic]
Due to limitations of the former software, attributes of this comment are not available.
News/Activism #28: BLOOD TRAIL -- Timeline [Free Republic]
Due to limitations of the former software, attributes of this comment are not available.
News/Activism #13: Blood Trail: Tainted blood manufacturer courted Castro
Due to limitations of the former software, attributes of this comment are not available.
As a bonues ... I'd like to see it forestall Liddy Dole's chances of bleeding us in another government sinecure.
FWIW, I just sent a link to this story to about 25 papers and 25 "opinionators" ( like Hannity & Rush )- we'll see....
Disclaimer: Opinions posted on Free Republic are those of the individual posters and do not necessarily represent the opinion of Free Republic or its management. All materials posted herein are protected by copyright law and the exemption for fair use of copyrighted works.