Blood: Safety
Health
Written answers and statements, 16 July 2009
Edward O'Hara (Knowsley South, Labour)
To ask the Secretary of State for Health if he will take steps to expedite the adoption of pathogen inactivation measures in order to improve blood safety; and if he will make a statement.
Gillian Merron (Minister of State (Public Health), Department of Health; Lincoln, Labour)
Pathogen inactivation is one of the options the independent Advisory Committee on the Safety of Blood, Tissues and Organs will consider for further reducing the infection risk from platelets (a blood component) at its next meeting in July 2009. There are no pathogen inactivation systems currently available for red cells, the most widely transfused blood component.