Haemophiliacs in Scotland and Northern Ireland have been told they may have been treated with blood products from a donor who developed variant Creutzfeld-Jacob Disease (vCJD).
The Scottish health minister Mr Malcolm Chisholm has denied accusations of a cover-up after it emerged that haemophiliacs in Scotland and Northern Ireland were told they may have been treated with blood products from a donor who developed variant Creutzfeld-Jacob Disease (vCJD).
No diagnostic test exists for the incurable brain disease vCJD, which killed 117 people in Britain.
Mr Chisholm insisted that despite claims that it was known two years ago the donor had developed vCJD, he had only been informed earlier this month. His comments followed the revelation that haemophiliacs had been sent letters warning them that a donor, who gave blood twice in 1986 and 1987, had the condition.
Opposition parties have criticised the delay in informing people and demanded that the minister respond to questions over a cover-up.
Mr Chisholm said any risk that some 300 people in Scotland and Northern Ireland may have received blood products from the person who developed vCJD was "theoretical".
He said: "I wasn't minister of health two years ago and I didn't find out about it until earlier this month and I took the view that the patients should be informed and that's what happened. There isn't anyone who's contracted variant CJD through this route.
Earlier this week the Irish Blood Transfusion Service said it would refuse donations from people who lived in the UK for a year or more when "mad cow disease" was at its height between 1980 and 1996. The ban will come into effect when a number of shorter visits cumulate into 12 months of more.
The IBTS said the "precautionary" decision followed a temporary prohibition, introduced in March 2001.
The service said a recent increase in donations means it was now in a position to implement the policy.
As a result of the move up to 7 per cent or 10,000 of the donor population will become ineligible for donations.
Additional reporting PA