Written question asked by Jenny Willott (Liberal Democrat) on Friday, 29 June 2007, in the House of Commons. It was due for an answer on Tuesday, 3 July 2007. It was answered by Baroness Primarolo (Labour) on Tuesday, 10 July 2007 on behalf of the Department of Health.

Blood Donors

Question: (2) how many UK blood donors have developed vCJD after donating blood to the UK Blood Service; and if he will make a statement.

Answer: Variant Creutzfeldt-Jakob Disease (vCJD) has been subsequently diagnosed in 18 people who before they developed symptoms of disease had donated blood in the United Kingdom which was transfused to recipients. These blood donations were made between 1981 and 2004, and 66 people have been identified who received blood from these donations. Some of these donations were made many years before vCJD was identified (and before Bovine Spongiform encephalopathy was described).

Secondary information