UK Hemophiliacs Not Told of Hepatitis Tests: Group
Tue January 21, 2003 02:02 PM ET
By Richard Woodman

LONDON (Reuters Health) - A group representing some of the British hemophiliacs exposed to contaminated blood products in the 1970s and 1980s said on Tuesday that patients had been tested for hepatitis C without their knowledge or consent.

In a letter to Health Ministers, Hemophilia Action UK said that patients had asked to see their medical records recently in preparation for possible litigation against American plasma companies for contamination with HIV and hepatitis viruses.

"We were absolutely appalled to find that in the past there has been testing of hemophiliacs for the hepatitis C virus on a national scale without the permission of the patient, and without any pre or post- test counseling being offered."

The letter complains that test results were withheld often for several years and that patients were denied the opportunity to make certain life choices, such as taking precautions to ensure that they did not infect their sexual partners.

"What is truly shocking is that in some cases hemophiliacs have actually been diagnosed with serious conditions related to their hepatitis C infection and were not told of these for many years."

It adds that hundreds of hemophiliacs, who received British government compensation in 1991 for being infected with HIV, had to sign legal waivers promising they would not sue if it was later found that they had hepatitis C as well.

"Hemophiliacs did not realize at the time that 99% of HIV-positive hemophiliacs would test positive for hepatitis C and that the doctors, the solicitors and the Government knew this fact but the only people who didn't know when signing the waiver were the hemophiliacs!"

In a statement, the Department of Health said: "We are not aware of any complaints to the Department about this either from individual patients or from the Hemophilia Society (the main patient group).

"We would however be happy to look into any complaints if they are raised with us."