James Reilly (Dublin North, Fine Gael)

I have discussed this issue with Dr. Barry White, national director of clinical strategy and programmes with the Health Service Executive. He is very much involved in this area as somebody who treats patients with haemophilia, many of whom contracted hepatitis C through contaminated blood products. There are medical protocols around this, which I will not go into, because there is a possibility of serious side effects associated with the treatment. For instance, the administration of these medicines to patients who are hepatitis C negative would not be considered justified in terms of the down side that can possibly occur.

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