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Health
Blood supplies
The
European Parliament's Environment Committee voted in June 2002 to
reinforce the quality and safety of blood supplies in Member States.
One of the key issues under discussion was the voluntary donation
of blood and blood products. Haemophiliacs and others with immunodeficiency
conditions need regular infusions of blood plasma, a great deal
of which has to be imported from countries such as the USA which
operate a reimbursement policy. While it would be ideal to use only
voluntary donations, there is a chronic shortage of blood plasma
in Europe. Excluding blood products from those states which reimburse
donors would threaten supplies of crucial items such as plasma.
Efforts by the Conservatives have helped reach a sensible compromise
on this issue, ensuring that plasma from countries which reimburse
donors can continue to be used.
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