Up to 700 calls were received yesterday by the helpline set up as part of the Blood Transfusion Service Board's HIV screening programme. A spokesman for the BTSB said most of the calls were "of a very general nature and a small few needed further input from BTSB medical staff". The programme was set up for those who may have been exposed to the risk of HIV infection as a result of the transfusion of blood or other blood products produced prior to the introduction in October 1985 of HIV screening of blood donations. The helpline number is 1800 200409.