There were sharp exchanges at the Lindsay Tribunal during the fourth day of cross-examination of the Blood Transfusion Service Deputy Medical Director. Yesterday, Dr Emer Lawlor stated that, if the BTS had stopped importing blood products by the end of 1983, it would not have made much difference, as 85% of haemophiliacs who contracted HIV were already infected.
John Trainor, Senior Counsel for the Haemophilia Society, disputed the figure this morning. He also said that Dr Lawlor's remarks had been hurtful to IHS members like Ray Kelly whose son, John, contracted HIV from an imported blood product in August 1984, which had been distributed by the BTS. Mr Trainor said that Mr Kelly had been sitting in the public gallery yesterday, and he suggested that, if the BTS had acted, then his son might still be around today.
The Tribunal Chairwoman, Judge Alison Lindsay, intervened and stated that Dr Lawlor could not comment on an individual case, as she did not have access to medical records. Later, it was revealed that in November 1983, the Director of National Haemophilia Treatment Centres, Professor Ian Temperley, stated that they were “playing down” the risk of haemophiliacs getting AIDS from blood products imported from the US. In a letter to the National Director of the BTS, Jack O'Riordan, Professor Temperley stated that all blood products were harbingers of AIDS.
However, he went onto say that the risks of US commercial concentrates were being played down, because there were only 14 cases of blood product transmission in the United States and one in the United Kingdom. He said that 50% of blood products were imported and Ireland would not be able to cope adequately otherwise. Mr Trainor also continued to press Dr Lawlor on the fact that neither Dr O'Riordan ever spoke out about, nor did the Board ever apparently consider, the dangers of imported commercial blood products. Mr Trainor charged that the BTS was a 'silent voice', and its Chief Medical Officer, who was also its National Director, Dr Riordan, chose never to enter into the debate and warn haemophiliacs. Dr Lawlor retorted that commercial blood products were licensed by the National Drugs Advisory Board and it was a matter for them, the Department of Health or, most importantly, doctors treating haemophiliacs.
