Statements in which the resource exists as a subject.
PredicateObject
rdf:type
lifeskim:mentions
pubmed:issue
1
pubmed:dateCreated
2006-11-20
pubmed:abstractText
The transfusion transmission of hepatitis C and HIV to thousands of Canadian blood recipients was one of this country's largest public health catastrophes. In response to this crisis, and in an effort to prevent such a tragedy from occurring again, the Canadian blood system has undergone substantial reform. Variant Creutzfeldt-Jakob (vCJD) disease was the first infectious threat faced by the blood system since undergoing reform. The response at the time to this risk provides insights into the Canadian blood system's new approach to infectious threats. Our analysis of the decision-making concerning vCJD identifies two dominant themes characterizing the new blood system's approach to safety: (1) the adoption of a precautionary approach to new risks which involves taking action in advance of definitive evidence, and (2) risk aversion amongst policy makers, which has contributed to the adoption of safety measures with comparatively high cost-effectiveness ratios. Overall the principles governing the new blood system have contributed to the system both providing protection against emerging infectious risks and regaining the confidence of the public and recipients. However, the current set of policy factors will likely contribute to increasingly risk-averse policy making that will contribute to continued increases in the cost of the blood system. The challenge the blood system now faces is to find the appropriate balance between maximizing safety and ensuring the system remains affordable.
pubmed:language
eng
pubmed:journal
pubmed:citationSubset
IM
pubmed:status
MEDLINE
pubmed:month
Jan
pubmed:issn
0277-9536
pubmed:author
pubmed:issnType
Print
pubmed:volume
64
pubmed:owner
NLM
pubmed:authorsComplete
Y
pubmed:pagination
174-85
pubmed:meshHeading
pubmed:year
2007
pubmed:articleTitle
Variant Creutzfeldt-Jakob disease and the Canadian blood system after the tainted blood tragedy.
pubmed:affiliation
University of Toronto, Toronto, Ont., Canada M5G 2C4. kumanan.wilson@uhn.on.ca
pubmed:publicationType
Journal Article, Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't