Victim soldiers condemn blood blunder

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Victim soldiers condemn blood blunder
By Sam Marsden and Celia Paul, PA
Published: 10 January 2008
Victims of a previous blood contamination scandal today condemned blunders that have left 18 British soldiers waiting to learn whether they are infected with a deadly disease.

The troops received transfusions using blood sourced from the US military after being seriously wounded in Iraq or Afghanistan.

But they are now undergoing tests after it emerged that the Americans did not follow their own procedures and test the donors after they gave the blood.

Haemophiliacs who were infected with HIV and hepatitis C after receiving contaminated blood in the late 1970s and 1980s today described the error as an "absolute disgrace".

Robert Mackie said it was "outrageous" that servicemen and women who risked their lives for their country had been put in this position.

He said: "Attitudes have not changed, it is as simple as that. Lessons have not been learnt. It's an absolute disgrace, to say the least."

Defence Minister Derek Twigg said the 18 soldiers would "almost certainly" have died if they had not received an emergency blood transfusion at the front line.

While the risk of infection is "low" the matter is being taken "extremely seriously", he said.

The US Department of Defence said the American donors who provided the blood had now all tested negative for hepatitis and HIV.

But the British soldiers are still facing an agonising wait to learn the results of their own tests for blood infections.

Mr Twigg told GMTV: "The procedures weren't followed in terms of retrospective testing by the Americans.

"We work very closely with the Americans in terms of battlefield casualties, and a number of our people have been saved by the Americans at their medical centres."

The minister defended delays in informing the 18 soldiers who could have received contaminated blood.

He said: "What's been very important is we had to go through the records very carefully to make sure we do identify those people who have potential risk.

"Of course those include many thousands of records, and it's important to get it right, and that's what we did.

"As soon as we had confirmation of the names, we started the process of informing people and their GPs and medical officers."

Mr Mackie, who lives near Edinburgh in the Scottish Borders, is a haemophiliac who contracted HIV and hepatitis C after receiving contaminated blood, probably in the 1980s.

He said: "It is outrageous. These young servicemen and women are serving their country in a dangerous situation.

"It is just ridiculous that after receiving medical care their lives are being risked again."

Andrew Evans, secretary of Tainted Blood, which campaigns on behalf of those infected by contaminated transfusions, said: "It just seems to be that nobody has learnt from past mistakes and that history is repeating itself yet again.

"It is only a matter of time before we have another disaster on the scale that the haemophiliacs had to endure back in the late 1970s and 1980s."

Mr Evans, also a haemophiliac, was infected with hepatitis C and HIV in about 1982, when he was just five.

The Ministry of Defence said in a statement: "We are contacting every one of the very small number of UK service personnel whose transfusions might not have had a valid retrospective test.

"However, any member of the forces who is concerned about a blood transfusion they received on deployed operations should contact their own doctor or medical officer."

It is believed that all 18 soldiers have been found and informed of the risk of infection.

The MoD said it would not be releasing any personal details about those affected.

Gordon Brown's spokesman said: "Of course this is a very serious matter and the Ministry of Defence are taking it very seriously."

Chris James, chief executive of the Haemophilia Society, said it was "extremely worrying" that British soldiers had been exposed to an "unacceptable" risk of contracting infections.

He said: "The fact that 18 British troops have had to be tested for blood-borne infections underlines the importance of constant vigilance in relation to the contamination of blood and blood products.

"Some of the surviving people with haemophilia infected with hepatitis C - and in many cases HIV as well - and their families have recently been giving evidence to Lord Archer's independent public inquiry into contaminated blood and blood products.

"The inquiry has heard in detail about the devastating impact these infections have had over many years.

"It is extremely worrying that at the same time these brave people were giving evidence about the severity and seriousness of blood-borne infections, these British troops were being exposed to an unacceptable risk of contracting the very same infections."

Victim soldiers condemn blood blunder - Independent Online Edition > Health

[Woodmonkey]

This is an absolute disgrace and all blood that is sent to be used by wounded soldiers should be checked and have all the precautions. They are risking their lives in combat and shouldn't have to risk their lives getting treated.