Source: http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/main.jh ... ood110.xml
By Laura Clout
Last Updated: 3:06am GMT 10/01/2008
British soldiers have been put at risk of contracting deadly diseases from contaminated American blood, it was claimed last night.
The 18 servicemen received emergency blood transfusions at American field hospitals after being seriously wounded in the conflicts in Iraq and Afghanistan.
British servicemen severely injured in combat received blood transfusions from batches that were not properly screened
But after it emerged that some batches were not properly screened for lethal infections such as HIV and hepatitis, the soldiers must wait for the results of medical tests to find out whether they have been affected.
The details emerged after the Pentagon admitted to the Ministry of Defence that some batches of the blood had not been properly screened and certified for medical use.
The MoD last night insisted the risk of infection was low. A spokesman said: "The small number of people we have identified all received emergency blood transfusions or blood products in US medical facilities.
"When you are in a situation where an individual is about to die, you get them to the nearest medical facility, whether that is an American or other coalition facility."
advertisementHe added: "If anyone has any concerns they should get their GP or medical officer to check them."
All the soldiers have been tracked down, and several have already received negative test results, the spokesman said.
However, a number of others, including one soldier who was only notified of the risk last night, face a wait of up to three weeks to learn whether they are in the clear.
Derek Twigg MP, Under Secretary of State for Defence said: "These 18 Service Personnel would almost certainly have died without receiving an emergency blood transfusion at the front line. The Defence Secretary acted quickly to ensure that those British service personnel involved were informed as soon as possible.
"The actual risk of any infection is low - however we are taking it extremely seriously. We are working with the appropriate health authorities to do all that we can to test and reassure the people involved. We are, and will continue to do all that we can to support them and their families through this uncertain time."
Military sources compared the situation to the death of 25-year-old Lance Corporal Matty Hull during a 'friendly fire' incident in Basra.
A high-ranking army officer told The Sun: "This scandal is an even more grotesque example of 'friendly fire' than the Matty Hull case because that could be partly put down to the fog of war.
"It was entirely avoidable and we cannot understand how the Americans allowed something like this to happen."
