Posted on 05/30/2005 8:53:19 PM PDT by BenLurkin
HAMILTON, Ontario - The Canadian Red Cross pleaded guilty Monday to distributing blood tainted with HIV and hepatitis C in the 1980s, and was fined $4,000 in the public health disaster that infected thousands.
More than 1,000 Canadians contracted blood-borne HIV and up to 20,000 others were infected with hepatitis C after receiving the tainted blood products. About 3,000 people had died by 1997 and the death toll has grown, but recent estimates were not available.
"(The) Canadian Red Cross Society is deeply sorry for the injury and death ... for the suffering caused to families and loved ones of those who were harmed," said Dr. Pierre Duplessis, the secretary general of the Red Cross.
In a public apology demanded by survivors of the victims and played via videotape in the courtroom, Duplessis said the charity accepted responsibility for "having distributed harmful products for those that rely on us for their health."
In exchange for the guilty plea and public apology, prosecutors dropped criminal charges against the charity, including criminal negligence and common nuisance.
John Plater, who contracted HIV and hemophilia from the tainted blood, said the plea offered a measure of vindication.
"We (had) thought a terrible mistake had caused the worst public health disaster in this country's history and what we've heard today is: No, in fact, people broke the law," said Plater, who is also Ontario president of the Canadian Hemophilia Society.
In addition to the fine, the charity will set aside $1.2 million for scholarships for family members of those affected as well as a medical research project.
Federal prosecutor John Ayre said the fine was adequate given the Red Cross's status as a humanitarian organization, noting it no longer engages in blood collection or distribution.
The Canadian Red Cross has already paid victims $55 million in a separate fund.
The proceedings Monday were separate from charges against Dr. Roger Perrault, former director of blood transfusion for the Red Cross. He is charged along with three other doctors and the New Jersey-based Armour Pharmaceutical Co. They are accused of criminal negligence and endangering the public for allegedly allowing Armour's blood-clotting product, infected with HIV, to be given to hemophilia patients.
Perrault's lawyer has denied the doctor committed a crime
In exchange for the guilty plea and public apology, prosecutors dropped criminal charges against the charity, including criminal negligence and common nuisance.
Wasn't that just speshull.
Is this the tainted blood from Arkansas prisons that Gov. CLINTON sold to Canada?????
Yup.
Not surprisingly there is NO mention of the Arkansas prioson connection in this article.
Amazing how that part of the story simply got erased.
$4000.00 is ALL the Canadian Red Cross had to pay for all those DEATHS and illnesses??? Geesh...that's not even a slap on the wrist.
Hey Yahoo....Why not ASK where they got the Tainted Blood from and REPORT it, you dolts!!!
I think you are right.
If askel5 was still around we could have a nice answer - chapter and verse -- she did some outstanding work tracking hundred of references to this issue and even had a Blood Hound page that might still be cached by some.
ping to a few bloodhounds, IIRC
My brother still has hep C. I will remember your acts, Mr. Clinton.
Part of the problem in the early 80s was mainstream media kept a lid on the news about AIDS because MSM feared a backlash against the queer community. Had the news been released earlier and precautions taken early on lives would have been saved.
Arkansas Billy boy and friends in the DOC...and DNC
Is this the CIA and FBI blood that only infected Black People?
...and no pudding for dessert too...
"I may have visited Arkansas, I may have met the governor. I don't recall," Senator Clinton told the meeting of editors of U.S.'s major newspapers. "Well this proves she had nothing to do with this blood scandal," agreed several editors.
Who needs Monty Python when ya got Hillary and friends!
I got more furious as I read & NO mention of Bubba. Then my senses came back & I remembered that I have had this standing bet for 5 yrs prior & now thru their lifetimes. Nothing these Klintoons can do would give them jail time. These two felons are truly above the laws of this world.
It represents about $1.25 per death. Life is cheap in Canada.
Actually, I thought the lid was kept on it because no one cared about the queers and drug addicts. *shrug* Most people thought, and still think, good riddance. Then they found out it hit the blood supply and started getting straights and kids.
some was from blood collected from prisoners in various states that still allowed it at the time....say, Arkansas......
and who was the governor in charge at that time....oh, yeah, that's right....Clinton....
We are trying to stop ridiculous settlements and they don't pay jack. If and when we get socialized medicine, you won't be able to sue a gubmint doctor. So, when he leaves the clamp in your guts, they will pay to take it out, and that's about it..
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