From: geb@cs.pitt.edu (Gordon Banks)
Subject: Re: 3 AIDS Related Questions
Article-I.D.: pitt.19407
Reply-To: geb@cs.pitt.edu (Gordon Banks)
Organization: Univ. of Pittsburgh Computer Science
Lines: 29

In article <93087.011308PXF3@psuvm.psu.edu> PXF3@psuvm.psu.edu (Paula Ford) writes:
>A friend of mine was a regular volunteer blood donor.  During surgery, he
>was given five units of blood, and after a suitable recovery time, he went
>to donate blood at a "bloodmobile." He was HIV+, and did not know it.
>
>The Red Cross notified him with a _registered letter_.  That's all.  No
>counselling, no nothing.  He died two years ago, this week.  He left behind

How long ago was this?  When I said you'd get counselling, I meant if
you did it now.  Long ago, practices varied and agencies had to gear
up to provide the counselling.

>a wife and a four-year-old son.  Many people have suggested that his wife
>should sue the Red Cross, but she would not.  She says that without the
>blood transfusions he would have died during the surgery.
>

Good for her.  What we don't need is everyone suing community service
agencies that provide blood that people need.  Testing is not fool proof.
The fact that he got AIDS from a transfusion (if he really did) does
not mean the Red Cross screwed up.  Prior to 1983 or so, there wasn't
a good test and a lot of bad blood got through.  This wasn't the fault
of the Red Cross.  When did he get the transfusions?

-- 
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Gordon Banks  N3JXP      | "Skepticism is the chastity of the intellect, and
geb@cadre.dsl.pitt.edu   |  it is shameful to surrender it too soon." 
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