HIV and blood, circa 1982
CMAJ 1998;158:23
After reading Dr. John Hoey's editorial "Human rights, ethics and the Krever inquiry" (CMAJ 1997;157[9]:1231 [full text]), I would like to share my efforts to prevent the spread of HIV through Red Cross blood products in New Brunswick in the early 1980s.
At that time, I was a minor member of the [Red Cross's] provincial board and had no independent authority. During one of our meetings the question of testing donated blood for HIV was raised, and we debated the issue for half an hour. I was the only physician present, and I strongly recommended that such testing be done. The nonmedical board members were not really opposed to testing, but they were worried about the questions it might raise. They were concerned that people who were "healthy" but positive for HIV would, as a result of donating blood, learn from the Red Cross that they had a potentially fatal disease.
I said that testing should be done but was even more adamant that HIV-positive donors must be informed and must not be allowed to make further donations. After an argument, the topic was suddenly dropped without a vote being taken. The minutes of the meeting, distributed later, contained no mention of the discussion or the debate about the problems involved, and the topic was not raised again.
I resigned from the board shortly after. Hoey is correct in stating that nonmedical members of the Red Cross at that time were eager not to give any hint that the Red Cross was hostile to gay people. Because the whole political world seemed to be of the same opinion, I did not write letters to the editor or others -- I was sure they would never be published.
Robert F. Scharf, MD
Former Director
Emergency Medicine
Victoria General Hospital
Halifax, NS
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