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In the wake of reports in the press about export of blood product samples from Britain reported to be contaminated with a human form of the mad cow disease to at least 11 countries including India, the Union Health and Family Welfare Minister, Dr. Anbumani Ramadoss held a high level meeting here today, with the Drug Controller of India and reviewed the situation with senior officials of the Health Ministry.
The Minister has asked the Drug Controller to investigate into the issue and trace the consignments. The Drug Controller of India has written to the WHO to obtain their views in respect of the news story and information about suspected blood products. The matter has also been taken up with the External Affairs Ministry to follow up with the British Government to obtain specific information.
The Drug Controller of India has also asked the two British companies registered in India for import of blood products to find out whether any British donor’s blood was sourced for preparing blood products. Since 1996 sourcing of plasma from UK citizens was stopped as a precautionary measure.
Meanwhile as per available information with the WHO and European Medicine’s Agency, no credible instance of transmission of CJD by human blood, blood components and plasma derivatives has been reported.
The Ministry of Health and Family Welfare has also clarified that India is not one of the 11 countries which had been notified by the British health officials about the export of these products.
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