Cingles Info

November 20, 2002
By TOM COHEN
.c The Associated Press
TORONTO (AP) - Police filed charges Wednesday in what is considered one of
Canada's worst public health disasters, a tainted blood scandal that infected
thousands of people with HIV and Hepatitis C.
The Canadian Red Cross, four doctors and an American pharmaceutical company were
all charged after a five-year investigation by a Royal Canadian Mounted Police
task force.
About 1,200 people were infected with HIV and thousands more contracted
hepatitis C after receiving tainted blood and blood products in the 1970s and
1980s, some allegedly from U.S. prison inmates.
While no figures exist on the number of victims who died, organizations involved
say there were many deaths. The Canadian Red Cross began screening donors for
HIV in 1985 and for hepatitis C in 1990.
``This has been a long time coming,'' Tom Alloway, president of the Canadian
Hemophilia Society, said of the charges. ``It think it means the beginning of
closure, both for victims who are still alive and the families of victims who
died.''
The charges include criminal negligence causing bodily harm, which carries a
maximum 10-year sentence, and common nuisance by endangering the public, which
is punishable by up to two years in prison.
``I want to see these individuals go to jail,'' said Scott Hemming, 35, a
hemophiliac who contracted hepatitis C from a blood transfusion in 1987. ``It is
unfortunate what happened to my family, but I want to ensure it never
happens to my daughter's family.''
The Red Cross and the former director of its blood transfusion service, Dr.
Roger Perrault, were accused of not screening out blood donors who might have
had HIV. The Red Cross faces six common nuisance charges, and Perrault faces
three counts of criminal negligence and seven of common nuisance.
Armour Pharmaceutical Co. of Bridgewater, N.J., was charged with criminal
negligence and common nuisance, along with failing to tell the Canadian
government of problems with the blood products.
Alloway said Armour's blood products were distributed in Canada after being
withdrawn in the United States.
Criminal negligence charges were also filed against former Armour vice president
Michael Rodell, and former government health officials John Furesz and Wark
Boucher.
All four doctors and Armour also were accused of allowing Armour's HIV-infected
blood-clotting product to be given to hemophiliacs.
``The Canadian public has the right to expect the safest blood and the safest
blood products possible,'' said task force head Supt. Rod Knecht.
The task force was formed in 1997 after a judge's report on the Canadian blood
system criticized the Red Cross and the government for problems that allowed the
tainted blood scandal to occur.
Lawsuits and compensation packages involving the Red Cross and the federal and
provincial governments include the creation of a $711 million government fund
for those infected.
11/20/02 20:39 EST
http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/articles/A18001-2002Nov20.html
A good exercise for the heart is to bend down and help another up.
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