Blood Safety Recommendations - January 1999
DATE: February 8, 1999
TO: Interested Parties
FROM: Stephen D. Nightingale, M. D., Executive Secretary Advisory Committee
on Blood Safety and Availability
SUBJECT: Recommendations made by the Advisory Committee on Blood Safety and
Availability at its January 28, 1999 Meeting
1. The Advisory Committee recommends that targeted lookback should be initiated
based on a repeatedly reactive EIA-1 test result on a repeat donor unless
A. a supplemental test result was performed and did not indicate significant
risk of HCV infection;
B. no supplemental test result is available, but the signal to cutoff ration
of the repeatedly reactive EIA-1 test was less than 2.5; or
C. followup testing is negative.
2. The Advisory Committee believes that, in light of the scope of the hepatitis
C epidemic, current funding is inadequate for notification, testing, counseling,
education, and therapy. We urge the Secretary to take immediate measures to
increase funding to meet this major public health challenge. We further urge
the Public Health Service to work with professional and private organizations
to promulgate appropriate recommendations for testing, counseling, and therapy,
and to secure additional resources for these purposes.
3. The Advisory Committee urges the Secretary to consider providing appropriate
support and resources for blood centers and hospitals, both public and private,
to conduct HCV lookback activities.
FOLLOW-UP
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