The taintedblood Timeline  -  what really happened...

Two cases of seroconversion in haemophiliacs are associated with the use of H.T. Factorate - a heat-treated factor VIII concentrate manufactured by Armour.

In a DHSS internal circular of 4 July 1985, the author asserts that all UK-produced Factor VIII has been heat-treated at Elstree as of April 1985.

"[Deleted name] of NIBSC has just informed me that since 19 December 1984, all imported Factor VIII cleared by NIBSC has been heat-treated. All Elstree material received since April has been heat treated and Scottish supplies have been heat treated since the 23 January 1985."

At the end of the circular we discover the following handwritten request:

"Can you please translate this into an assurance I can give to the SoS next week that no haemophiliacs will be infected in the UK from now on."

Note: Whether of not this assurance was given to the Secretary of State, we are saddened to report that in the same month (July 1985), there were two cases of seroconversion in haemophiliacs associated with the use of Armour's H.T. Factorate - an apparently heat-treated factor VIII concentrate.

Background: With regard to UK-produced Factor VIII, it should be pointed out that within just 4 more months, evidence is found of haemophiliacs seroconverting to become HTLV-III (HIV) positive, despite being given heat-treated Factor VIII manufactured in the United Kingdom.