XN000022-1993-01-15 — Page 9

FRIDAY, JANUARY 15, 1993

D HOC GROUP ON HIV INFECTION OF HAEMOPHILIACS MEETS

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OF

THE RECENTLY-FORMED AD HOC GROUP ON HIV INFECTION HAEMOPHILIACS THROUGH BLOOD PRODUCTS IN HONG KONG HELD ITS FIRST MEETING TODAY (FRIDAY).

THE CHAIRMAN OF THE AD HOC GROUP, PROFESSOR MH NG, SAID: THE PLIGHT OF HAEMOPHILIACS IN OUR SOCIETY DESERVED ALL OUR SUPPORT AND SYMPATHY. FOR THEM, TIMELY ADMINISTRATION OF FACTOR VIII IS A MATTER OF LIFE AND DEATH. THE REVELATION THAT SOME HAEMOPHILIACS MIGHT HAVE BEEN INADVERTENTLY INFECTED WITH THE HIV VIRUS HAS RAISED PUBLIC CONCERN.'

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UNDER ITS TERMS OF REFERENCE, THE MAIN TASKS OF THE AD HOC GROUP ARE ΤΟ ESTABLISH THE FACTS REGARDING TREATMENT OF BLOOD PRODUCTS IN HONG KONG FOR PREVENTING HIV TRANSMISSION AND TO RECOMMEND ANY SPECIAL COURSE OF ACTION APPROPRIATE TO HONG KONG FOR THE ASSISTANCE OF HAEMOPHILIACS WHO CONTRACTED HIV THROUGH TRANSFUSION OF BLOOD PRODUCTS IN HONG KONG.

THE STUDY GROUP IS REASONABLY ASSURED THAT:

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THE UNFORTUNATE INCIDENCE OF INADVERTENT INFECTION OF HAEMOPHILIACS WITH HIV THROUGH BLOOD PRODUCTS ONLY OCCURRED BEFORE 1985;

SINCE 1985, HOWEVER, HIV SCREENING OF BLOOD AND BLOOD PRODUCTS HAS BEEN IMPLEMENTED; AND

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FACTOR VITI USED IN HONG KONG WAS TESTED FOR HIV AT SOURCE AND HAS BEEN RENDERED SAFE FROM HIV CONTAMINATION BY HEAT TREATMENT OR TREATMENT WITH SOLVENT AND DETERGENT,

CONSEQUENTLY, THE COMMITTEE IS OF THE OPINION THAT THE INFECTION OF THE HARMOPHILIACS IS MOST UNLIKELY TO OCCUR AGAIN IN FUTURE.

AS THE FIRST ORDER OF BUSINESS, THE STUDY GROUP WOULD FOCUS THE PHYSICAL AND MENTAL WELL-BEING OF THE GROUP OF 61 INDIVIDUALS WERE INADVERTENTLY INFECTED WITH HIV.

HIV

THE

ON

WHO

THE GROUP ALSO EXAMINED CURRENT FACILITIES AVAILABLE FOR THE TREATMENT OF HIV INFECTED HAEMOPHILIACS. ITS PRELIMINARY ASSESSMENT IS THAT:

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THE MEDICAL FACILITIES ARE GENERALLY ADEQUATE, BUT:

THEY MAY BE BETTER NEEDS OF THESE INDIVIDUALS;

ORGANISED

TO

BETTER TAILORED ΤΟ THE

THERE MAY BE A NEED TO ENHANCE COUNSELLING SERVICE FOR THE AFFECTED INDIVIDUALS AND THEIR FAMILIES;

THERE MAY BE A NEED TO BETTER ENSURE THAT SAFE FACTOR VIII IS ACCESSIBLE TO ALL HAEMOPHILIACS IN HONG KONG.

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