Recipients of blood or blood products “at vCJD risk”, BMJ, Vol.
328, pp 118-9 Urgent action is needed to protect the public from
variant Creutzfeldt-Jakob disease (vCJD), a senior member of the
Medical Research Council writes in this week's BMJ. Dr Sheila
Bird argues that the death of the first probable victim of vCJD
from a blood transfusion means that steps must be taken to
define the rights and responsibilities of those at risk, as well
as the general public. Because there is no way of testing blood
for vCJD, people who have received products that may be
contaminated need to be managed as if the disease had been
diagnosed. This means that they must accept certain
responsibilities, such as refraining from blood donation and
providing information to ascertain the size of the risk to
others. It will also be necessary to clarify criminal justice
liabilities for reckless transmission of the disease. However,
steps must also be taken to protect patients' rights, for
example by protecting them against intrusion f