Jim Daly (Cork South West, Fine Gael)
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I thank the Senator for his continued interest in this and his concise and direct approach to it. I am happy to have the opportunity to advise the Seanad further on this matter. The remit of the IBTS, is to provide a safe, reliable and robust blood service to the Irish health system. The IBTS constantly keeps all deferral polices under review.

The IBTS currently has a permanent deferral policy in place for individuals who have resided for more than one year, cumulative, in the United Kingdom, including Northern Ireland and the Channel Islands, between the years 1980 and 1996. This deferral policy was introduced in 2004 following the first confirmed case of vCJD transmission via blood transfusion in the UK. There is no test for vCJD and confirmation that someone had the disease is only possible post mortem. In July, a special meeting of the medical advisory committee of the board of the IBTS was held to review the IBTS deferral policy in relation to vCJD and to consider the current scientific and medical evidence on vCJD transmission. It was decided at the meeting not to change the donor deferral policy at this time. It was agreed that a full risk assessment was warranted and the medical and scientific director of the IBTS has since commenced this assessment. The assessment will consider the current medical and scientific evidence available, involving a systematic examination of all relevant literature, studies and reports. Once this is complete a further meeting of the medical advisory committee will review the decisions made at the July meeting. This review is expected to be completed by mid-2019.

If the outcome of the risk assessment indicates that the IBTS could safely relax the current deferral polices in regard to vCJD, then a case for such changes will be made to the board of the IBTS and subsequently to the Department of Health. The focus of my Department will at all times be to ensure the provision of a quality supply of blood to the Irish health system. Decisions on changes to deferral policies for blood donation must always be supported by rigorous scientific and medical evidence.