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Barry Tingle's life took a gut-wrenching turn six years ago with a routine visit to the doctor. Lab tests showed he was infected with hepatitis C. Over decades, the virus had silently wreaked havoc on Tingle's largest and, in many ways, most complex internal organ, his liver. Tingle, now 46 years old, needs a liver transplant to live. But he faces life-and-death conflicts. His disease is emotionally devastating for his family, but without family support, he wouldn't even be considered for a liver transplant. He's been financially crippled, but he must keep paying for insurance to cover the cost of...

Genetic "smart bomb" knocks out hepatitis   19:00 20 April 03   NewScientist.com news service   Human liver cells harbouring the hepatitis C virus can be selectively targeted and destroyed by a new gene therapy approach, according to new research. The key is a genetically-engineered "suicide" gene, delivered aboard a harmless virus, which is triggered only when it enters a hepatitis-infected cell. The two current treatments for the debilitating liver disease - alpha interferon and ribavarin - can reduce the level of infection, say researchers, but the virus usually comes back. The new gene therapy approach could one day "offer the potential of...

For those of you who don't know what's going on, please refer to this: http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/news/743396/posts This morning I got the results of the MRI that I had sept. 27th. If you refer back to the post above it will give all the details of this. But, just to summarize, I had 5 nodules on my liver. What was thought as possible cancer. The larger of the 5 was shown to be a hemangioma(sp?) which is a benign blood vessel tumor. Very common, I probably had it from birth. The other 4 smaller nodules they did not know what they were...

For those of you who don't know what's going on, please refer to this: http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/news/743396/posts This is to update everyone who's been praying for me. First thank you so much for your prayers, they have been greatly appreciated. We went to Marquette tuesday for my liver biopsy. I talked to the radiologist. He said, you had a CT scan 5.5 months ago and nothing showed up then, it wasn't a great CT scan but, a large nodule probably would have shown up. Live cancer grows very rapidly, strike one. You were just treated for breast cancer, breast cancer can mastisize(sp?)...

News Plan for using US blood sparks new fear     Aug 17 2002   By Amanda Crook, The Journal   The Government was last night forced to defend its plans to use plasma from America for young children as a precaution against the human form of mad cow disease.Blood safety campaigners - whose relatives were infected with HIV and hepatitis from US blood products - say they are worried by the announcement and have little confidence in Department of Health assurances.The product is intended for children born after 1995 as they would not have been exposed to BSE...

SUNDAY EXPRESSPoliticians may face criminal charges over infected blood. EXCLUSIVE BY LUCY JOHNSTON Health Editor FORMER Tory and Labour ministers could face criminal charges over the use of contaminated blood in the NHS which infected thousands with HIV and hepatitis C. The Association of Chief Police Officers is to examine evidence which reveals key health and Treasury officials across two decades ignored repeated warnings that blood products used in the UK were putting lives at risk. Terence Grange, chairman of ACPO’s personal crime division, has written to the Crown Prosecution Service to see if there is enough evidence for...

Medical Council launches blood probe[Posted: Mon 12/08/2002]exclusive by Fergal BowersIn a dramatic development, the Irish Medical Council has served an order on the Blood Bank to hand over documents relating to the hepatitis C infection scandal so that it can conduct a formal inquiry into its former Medical Director, Dr Terry Walsh.Irishhealth.com has learned that the Medical Council, which polices doctors' behaviour, has issued an order on the Irish Blood Transfusion Service under legislation, for documentation produced for the Finlay Blood Tribunal.It is the first time that any person in the blood infection controversy has been ordered to an...

Owen demands inquiry into infected blood scandal James Meikle, health correspondentMonday August 19, 2002The Guardian Lord Owen, who was a Labour health minister from 1974 to 1976, has alleged that maladministration by his former department contributed to the scandal in which thousands of patients became infected by contaminated blood products in the 1970s and 80s. He wants an inquiry into how a promise he made that Britain would be self-sufficient in supplies of clotting factors was not fulfilled and says the government must compensate thousands of people suffering from haemophilia believed to be infected with hepatitis C. The former...

NewsCriminal probe into bad blood considered Aug 14 2002 By The Journal One of the country's top police officers has taken up the case of haemophiliacs who became infected with hepatitis C and HIV through contaminated blood products. Terence Grange, in charge of investigations affecting forces across the country, is now looking at the legal issues involved in a prosecution over the way contaminated blood was used in the NHS. Mr Grange, chief constable of Dyfed-Powys Police and chairman of the ACPO Personal Crime Business Area, is "in charge of any investigations of national importance which affect all forces...

Blood bank board meets over Hep C diagnosis delays July 31, 2002 (22:07) The Board of the blood bank met in Dublin tonight to discuss the delay in contacting 28 people to inform them that they could have been told about their Hepatitis C diagnosis more than a year before they actually were. The Blood Transfusion Service publicly committed itself to telling the group of 28 as quickly as possible, but seven weeks later they still have not been informed. A spokeswoman for the blood bank declined to comment on tonight's meeting only to say that a meeting with...

Inquiry plea to minister May 15 2002By Louella Houldcroft, The Journal Haemophiliacs from the North-East are today due to lobby the Government for a public inquiry into how infected blood products were allowed to be used in the NHS. Haemophilia Action UK, based in Jesmond, together with the Manor House Group from Birmingham, will today meet with Public Health Minister Yvette Cooper. They hope to persuade her to reopen investigations into how 4,500 haemo-philiacs became infected with HIV and hepatitis C. Led by Newcastle's Carol Grayson, whose partner Peter Longstaff is infect- ed with both viruses, the group wants all...

SALEM - On Dec. 1, 1998, health officials at the Oregon State Penitentiary learned that inmate Rodger Anstett had elevated liver enzymes, an indication that he might be infected with hepatitis C, according to a lawsuit against the Department of Corrections. It took two more years until prison doctors ordered a blood test that confirmed Anstett had the viral disease. To date, Anstett has received no treatment for the disease, and his health is failing. "They won't treat the hepatitis C. They're dragging their feet," said Anstett, who is serving a 20-year sentence for multiple counts of arson and attempted...

BBC uesday, 13 November, 2001, 21:37 GMT Closed door mars China Aids meeting First Aids conference: "Point of no return" China has opened its first national conference on Aids and HIV amid accusations of official discrimination against people with Aids. We wanted to attend but could not get an invitation Zhao Yong A group of seven people with Aids who travelled from Dongguan village in the central province of Henan to the capital, Beijing, told the BBC they had been excluded from the conference. A member of the group, Zhao Yong, said it was a great pity they had not...