Use of non-heat-treated product `absolutely horrific', says witness

The former co-ordinator of AIDS policy in the Department of Health said yesterday he found it "astonishing" and "absolutely horrific" that non-heat-treated BTSB factor 9 was still being used a year after it should have been withdrawn.

Dr James Walsh told the Lindsay tribunal that the Department believed all Blood Transfusion Service Board products had been heat-treated to guard against HIV from early 1985.

In fact, the board only started heat-treatment on a trial basis in August 1985 and did not issue its first batch of heat-treated material until October that year. Non-heat-treated Pelican House factor 9 continued to be used until at least February 1986, infecting seven haemophiliacs, five of whom have since died.

Dr Walsh said he was only learning of these facts from the tribunal and from what he read in the papers. Had he known in January 1986, when he met BTSB consultants to discuss the AIDS issue, that non-heat-treated material was still being used he would have been "horrified" and would have "gone to the top in terms of the Secretary of the Department or the Minister".

Dr Walsh, who served as deputy chief medical officer in the Department between 1974 and 1988, said he first sought products to be heat-treated in December 1984, a month after the first positive test for AIDS in a haemophliac in the State, which Dr Walsh described as a "very ominous development".

A meeting was arranged between Dr Walsh and the State's leading heamophilia treaters, Prof Ian Temperley and Dr Paule Cotter, at which it was agreed Prof Temperley would write to the board instructing it that only heat-treated material would be accepted in future.

In a reply dated January 2nd, 1985, the BTSB's national director, Dr Jack O'Riordan, said the issue was being given "urgent attention".

Dr Walsh said he understood by this that the board was going to implement the advice given. In April 1985, Dr Walsh attended a World Health Organisation conference on AIDS at which he said he brought back further evidence to support the view that heat-treatment "was the correct step". He said he understood at this stage all Irish products were so treated and informed colleagues at the conference of this.

He also stated heat-treatment was in place during radio and television interviews throughout 1985, which "I suppose, in the light of events, makes me look a bit foolish. However, I did it in good faith".

Asked had anyone from the board contacted him to say they were having problems with heat-treatment, he replied "definitely not" because he would have reacted "very strongly" to such information.

Following the introduction of donor screening for HIV in October 1985, Dr Walsh said he sought a meeting with consultants at the BTSB to make his "strong views known" that all products made from unscreened blood should be withdrawn. It made "common sense" to do so, he said.

Asked was he informed at that meeting that non- heat-treated products were still being used, he replied "definitely not, no." He said he would have been "horrified" to learn of this.

The tribunal resumes on Wednesday next.