The head of haemophilia treatment services in Cork, Dr Paule Cotter, will begin evidence to the Lindsay tribunal today on her response to the HIV and hepatitis C infection tragedies.
Dr Cotter, a consultant haematologist at University College Hospital and director of the Cork haemophilia treatment centre, has already given evidence to the inquiry on her dealings with the Blood Transfusion Service Board.
In this phase of the tribunal she will be questioned about her involvement in the choice of products for the treatment of haemophiliac patients and her role in developing follow-up services for those infected.
Dr Cotter, who in the 1980s was the second most senior treater of haemophiliacs in the State after Prof Ian Temperley, former medical director of the National Haemophilia Treatment Centre, will also be questioned about her response to positive test results for HIV.
Last November, Dr Cotter told the tribunal she believed she told Prof Temperley about a positive test result for HIV in one of her patients who had been treated with BTSB non-heat-treated factor 9. The patient tested positive in July 1985 and the result was confirmed in November that year.
In evidence earlier this year, however, Prof Temperley said that, as far as he could recall, he did not learn of the positive test result until he sought information from the Cork centre in April or May 1986.
Ms Frances O'Hora, a nursing sister at the National Children's Hospital, told the tribunal yesterday she was never formally told about which patients were positive for HIV. Nor did she discuss HIV with the parents of children infected.
Ms O'Hora said the parents were aware their children were HIV positive and she agreed an "unspoken acknowledgement" of HIV existed between them and the nursing staff. But only symptoms of the virus were discussed as it was felt HIV was too difficult a subject to address directly.
