http://www.jonbarron.org/heart-health-program/05-12-2008.php
This link above is (Blood Transfusions May Have Killed Millions)- by Jon Barron
BAD BLOOD - book by Judith Reitman
In a shocking exposé of the American Red Cross, award-winning journalist Judith Reitman rips the veil of secrecy off the world's largest humanitarian charity.
In 1984 triplet girls born three months prematurely received life-saving blood transfusions. A year later their parents learned that their donor had the AIDS virus. After years of suffering, all three sisters died. It has been discovered that six more children have received infected blood from the same Red Cross donor.
In May of 1993, for the first time in its history, the U.S. Government brought a lawsuit against the American Red Cross alleging thousands of violations of federal blood and safety laws.
Bad Blood is the story of the gross mismanagement and shocking neglect within the American Red Cross. The organization known for its "gift of life" has been responsible for exposing millions of innocent people to a blood supply contaminated by HIV, syphilis, hepatitis and other highly infectious diseases.
Investigates mismanagement and neglect within the Red Cross, focusing in particular on its exposing millions of people to blood contaminated by HIV, syphilis, hepatitis, and other highly infectious diseases. The account begins in 1983, when the Red Cross decided not to use an HIV screening test for all donors, and reports the FDA investigations which uncovered massive health and safety violations, as well as the US government's permanent injunction requiring the Red Cross and its president, Elizabeth Dole, to improve blood supply and services.
Blood scandal: Canadian Red Cross fined
Associated Press | June 1, 2005
The Canadian Red Cross has pleaded guilty to distributing tainted blood in the 1980s, which infected 1000 people with HIV and 20,000 with hepatitis C.
The organisation apologised for its role in the scandal and was fined $ 4000 in the public health disaster.
After receiving the tainted blood products, about 3,000 people had died by 1997. The death toll has since risen but recent estimates weren't available.
Public apology
The Secretary General of the Red Cross issued a public apology demanded by survivors of the victims and played via videotape in the courtroom.
On the tape, Dr. Pierre Duplessis said the charity accepted responsibility for "having distributed harmful products for those that rely on (the Red Cross) for their health".
He said the Canadian Red Cross Society was "deeply sorry" for the injury, death and suffering caused to families and loved ones of those who were harmed.
In exchange for the guilty plea and public apology, prosecutors dropped criminal charges against the charity, including criminal negligence and common nuisance.
'Incomplete justice'
However, some say it's not "full" justice because the Red Cross admitted no criminal responsibility.
The organisation pleaded guilty only to violating the food and drug act, admitting it distributed blood tainted with HIV and hepatitis C.
As part of the deal, the crown agreed to drop five counts of a more serious criminal charge.
Federal prosecutor John Ayre insists the fine was adequate given the Red Cross's status as a humanitarian organisation, noting that it's no longer involved in blood collection or distribution.
more info to come - just wanted to post some interesting info
