Informed consent for blood transfusion: should the possibility of prion risk be included?

Transfusion Medicine Reviews
Jason HartSusan Nahirniak

Abstract

The emergence of bovine spongiform encephalopathy (BSE) in British cattle has received significant media attention since its discovery in 1986. Transmission of this prion from cattle to humans has been documented, and the BSE prion is believed to be the causative agent for variant Creutzfeldt-Jakob disease (vCJD). Evidence of this spread is a significant threat to public health, and, although there has never been a proven case, there is a theoretical risk of transmission between humans by blood transfusions. In addition, recent animal studies have documented spread in this fashion, raising the question of whether vCJD should be included as part of informed consent for blood transfusions. The process of informed consent requires disclosure of material risks, defined as the risks that a reasonable person, under such circumstances, would want to know. Consent should, therefore, include the risks of a transfusion reaction, as well as the known infectious risks of blood. It should also include the unknown or theoretical risks of blood transfusions because full disclosure of even remote risks preserves the patient/physician trust relationship, which if breached, is very difficult to mend. Given the high level of public awareness, the...Continue Reading

Citations

Jan 1, 2012·Journal of Blood Transfusion·P J M van den Burg, K Magnussen
Dec 24, 2005·British Journal of Haematology·Christopher A Ludlam, Marc L Turner
Sep 15, 2009·Biology of Blood and Marrow Transplantation : Journal of the American Society for Blood and Marrow Transplantation·Marcie TomblynUNKNOWN Centers for Disease Control and Prevention
Nov 3, 2011·Journal of Toxicology and Environmental Health. Part a·Violet MuringaiAshwina Aubeeluck
May 10, 2007·Archives of Pathology & Laboratory Medicine·Melanie A OsbyIra Shulman

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Bovine Spongiform Encephalopathy (MDS)

Bovine spongiform encephalopathy is a neurodegenerative disease belonging to the transmissible spongiform encephalopathies, a group of diseases including sheep scrapie and human Creutzfeldt-Jakob disease. Here is the latest research.

Bovine Spongiform Encephalopathy

Bovine spongiform encephalopathy is a neurodegenerative disease belonging to the transmissible spongiform encephalopathies, a group of diseases including sheep scrapie and human Creutzfeldt-Jakob disease. Here is the latest research.