Michelmores’ clinical negligence team directory disturbing disclosures over blood samples taken from unsuspecting haemophiliac patients.
Doctors at Royal Free Hospital london carry out secret variant CJD body test analysis without choice.
The Observer online news program reports today on the result of haemophiliac patients to the revelation that their blood samples were taken for secret blood checks for new variant CJD (the human type of “mad cow” disease) without their expertise and consent. The secret bloodstream testing had been revealed in the minutes of the meeting from the USA Food and Drug Administration (FDA) in ’06 which had been attended by the leading member of Britain’s National Institute for Biological Criteria Control. The secret samples were referred to by the British researcher as “a bit of serendipity” that could prove the “icing on the cake” for tests the development of an effective blood test for the disease.
The testing has become criticised by Professor Christine Lee, till recently head of the Regal Free hospital’s haemophilia unit, who said that passing on blood samples without the understanding or consent of individuals raised serious ethical concerns – particularly in the aftermath of controversies like the Alder Hey wood retention scandal. “You can’t go around simply grabbing stored samples”, she explained. Acknowledging that she had utilized samples for hepatitis and HIV infection research “at an earlier time” in her two decades at the Regal Free she said that attitudes had now changed: “You can’t go ahead and test people without their own knowledge. It’s just not on”. The girl said she had been stunned when she had learnt with the disclosure of the blood testing prepare and has strongly urged the two Institute and her Regal Free successor Professor Edward Tuddingham to drop the initiative.
When contacted by The Observer Professor Tuddingham is actually quoted as saying “yes, we are in the process of transferring these people (the blood samples) to the CJD security group at the National Start for Biological Standards Control. We still have them within the freezers here”. He said the samples have been taken during testing for hepatitis C and Aids but he said those analyses were finished and the trials “were just going to be incinerated otherwise”. “I got in touch as it occurred to me that the CHE folks might be interested, and they were indeed extremely interested. And so i was pleased to find a useful research end for the samples”.
Patients are generally demanding that the blood testing be halted until to remain consulted. Long-time haemophiliac patient at the Royal Free Hospital, Mark Infirmary age 38 who developed HIV from blood found from the USA had not been informed until the hospital had tested him for the virus without his knowledge. He said “They’re doing the same to us while they did 20 years ago”.
Mark Ward said that if asked he might possess agreed to the release of his or her blood samples if it speeded up the development of the test for vCJD but to do so without informing him was “simply wrong… we live in some sort of where we are supposed to get rights but I feel I am being treated like a laboratory rat”.
Professor Christine Lee warned her successor on the Royal Free that obviously any good plan to “anonymise” the samples ended up being fraught with enormous patient counselling issues. She said that if indications of vCJD were found in any of the samples the question might arise of whether and ways to inform the individual of the possible health risks to himself forms of languages. She said the Royal Free’s plan “has to come above the parapet. The particular patients have got to know about the idea – and give explicit permission”.
To day 160 people in Britain have contracted variant CJD, including 4 transfusion patients who have either begun exhibiting signs of the disease or were found to have symptoms following a post mortem. So far, no haemophiliac has developed the illness, but the Observer reports which concerns centre on the fact that two dozen batches of blood employed for transfusion have included samples provided by people who did go on to contract the disease.
Laurence Vick and paralegal researcher Michael Vian Clark act for a haemophiliac client in connection with litigation being contemplated in the united kingdom courts following the dismissal of promises listed in the United States on a action proposed by the Defendants bloodstream product manufacturers. The action was accepted on the grounds that proceedings in the UK will be more appropriate for UK Claimants. This taking over has left the haemophiliac litigants in limbo as lawyers consider solutions to legal or procedural obstacles to litigation throughout England and Wales.