A FORMER biochemist at the BTSB yesterday said, on the third day of the tribunal of inquiry into the hepatitis C scandal, that he believed infection of the antiD blood product can be traced to an incident at Pelican House in 1975.
He was "very scared" by it and had told senior staff they "could expect something strange to happen in the years to come".
Dr Stephen O'Sullivan was giving evidence at the tribunal of inquiry into the hepatitis C controversy. He said that what he described as "the hepatitis fridge incident" occurred when Ms Cecily Cunningham and an assistant carried the "entire stock of anti D" to the hepatitis testing laboratory and placed it in a fridge. He was not sure of the date. Ms Cunningham was head of the fractionation unit where the anti D was manufactured.
What Ms Cunningham and her assistant had done was "in breach of all regulations", Dr O'Sullivan said. He added that he became "very agitated, very shocked. I still am almost shocked by it."
Dr O'Sullivan began working at the protein fractionation unit in 1973. He ceased working there in 1979 and left in 1982.
He explained that what was taken into the hepatitis testing laboratory was starting plasma for anti D, in sealed glass bottles. While on a coffee break he heard about the incident. He told the senior technician, Mr John Cann, and was satisfied it would be destroyed. Later, when it was returned to the fractionation laboratory he was "quite shocked".
The staff removed outer wrappings from the bottles before cleaning each with heptane, an anti fungal agent. Dr O'Sullivan was very scared" the Factor 9 blood product he was manufacturing in the laboratory, and which is used in the treatment of haemophiliacs, could become cross contaminated.
He remonstrated with Mr Cann, who told him that following consultation with the chief medical consultant, Dr O'Riordan, it was decided to continue using the plasma. It was felt, he was told, that to do otherwise would be to upset the whole anti D programme. He noted the incident in his own factor sheet at the laboratory. He was criticised by Ms Cunningham for going over her head in talking to Mr Cann.
He brought the matter up at the meekly scientific meetings, attended by all senior staff on Fridays. At one meeting in mid 1977 it was reported that the Master of the Rotunda Hospital had been in contact about cases of adverse reaction to anti D.
If was reported the anti D used had come from one batch. Dr O'Sullivan checked the record books for the batch, to trace any donor who might possibly have had hepatitis so all plasma from that donor might be destroyed. He noticed that some of the plasma from the batch had been in the hepatitis testing laboratory fridge.
He said patient X was not in the record book for the batch. He was aware of patient X, as some of her plasma was in the fridge in his laboratory. He had been suspicious about using her plasma as she was ill in hospital. He was not aware she had hepatitis.
He expounded his theory about the hepatitis fridge being the source of anti D infection at a number of BTSB scientific meetings, and eventually there was a consensus that it was correct. Among those who agreed with him were Dr O'Riordan, the assistant chief medical consultant, Dr J.L. Wilkinson, Dr Terry Walsh, Mr John Cann and Ms Cunningham.
Mr John Rogers SC, for the McCole family and Positive Action, put it to Dr O'Sullivan that his theory was "simply not tenable". It was "not sustained in any way by any evidence available".
Dr O'Sullivan replied that it had been accepted by the board's scientific meeting as valid. He continues his evidence today.