Portuguese angry over contaminated blood imports:
This article was originally published in Clinica
Executive Summary
The former Portuguese Health Minister Leonor Beleza has come under attack over claims she was responsible for imports of blood contaminated with HIV. Mrs Beleza is charged with 11 others in connection with the deaths of 59 haemophiliacs who received contaminated blood from Austria. The Portuguese Haemophiliac Association (APH) claims she did not order the destruction of contaminated batch Factor VIII even after samples taken from it by the APH revealed it contained HIV antibodies. The accused could face up to eight years in jail if found guilty (see Clinica No 639, p 2).