Time Line - Blood Donor Screening Test for Hepatitis C

1970's

An unidentifiable viral Hepatitis (Non A Non B) (NANB) is recognized.

1981

Transfusion Transmitted Virus Study ('TTVS') and NIH recommend both

ALT liver enzyme test and a `lifestyle marker - Anti Hep-B antibody test
as `surrogate tests for NANB Hepatitis exposure among blood donors.
(ALT test had been used in Germany since 1965 and Italy since 1970.)

1985

NIH reports Post Transfusion Hepatitis occurs in 7% to 12% of blood

transfusion recipients in the United States.

September 1986

U.S. adopts surrogate test screening for NANB Hepatitis. Others (but not
UK) follow.

March 1988

Claimants assert that anyone infected with Hep C after the effective date
of UK Consumer Protection Act (March 1, 1988) should be compensated
Surrogate Hep C testing should have been in place in UK, like
France, in the judgment of Judge Burton.

May 1988

Chiron Corp. announces it has identified, cloned, and expressed Non A

Non B Hepatitis Proteins (Hepatitis C)

April 1989

Chiron licensee Ortho discloses details of ELISA test for Hep C

antibodies

September 1989

Chiron introduces ELISA assay test for Hepatitis C at Rome conference

November 1989

FDA grants U.S. export licence to Chiron/Ortho Pharm. for ELISA test

December 1989

Japan introduces ELISA assay test

February 1990

Australia introduces ELISA assay test

March 1990

France introduces Hep C screening test

Earliest practicable date of introduction of ELISA screening in UK, in
judgment of Judge Burton.

May 1990

FDA grants U.S. pre-market approval for ELISA assay test

Austria and Amsterdam introduce Hep C screening

June 1990

Canada and Germany introduce Hep C screening

July 1990

UK Advisory Committee on Virological Safety of Blood (ACVSB)

recommends proceeding with ELISA test but requires clinical trials.
Belgium introduces ELISA assay test screening

August 1990

Switzerland introduces Hep C screening test

September 1990

Luxembourg introduces Hep C screening

October 1990

Italy and Spain introduce Hep C screening

December 1990 to
January 1991

Norway and Sweden introduce Hep C screening

UK Ministerial Approval for ELISA test implementation

March 1991

Portugal, Cyprus, Greece, Hungary, Iceland, Malta begin screning

April 1, 1991

Netherlands introduces mandatory ELISA screening nationwide

90% liability is later admitted by U.K. National Blood Authority for
persons infected after this date.

September 1991

Hepatitis C test introduced in England and Wales, virtually eliminating

post transfusion hepatitis in UK

October 1991

Ireland introduces screening for Hep C

- George W. Conk
source: A and others v. National Blood Authority and another, [2001] 3 All ER 289