DEPARTMENT OF HEALTH
News Release (2007/0072) issued by The Government News Network on 28
March 2007
Two new reports on
vCJD (variant Creutzfeldt-Jakob Disease) have been published today
as part of on-going work to manage the risks associated with the disease.
The first was commissioned by the Department of Health and
produced by the specially convened vCJD Clinical Governance
Advisory Group (CGAG). Chaired by Sir William Stewart, it proposes
the creation of patient-focused clinical governance arrangements
to standardise the care that patients at risk of vCJD receive
across the country. It recommends that GPs should take the lead in
commissioning care for them, supported by consultant neurologists
and specialist centres such as the National CJD Surveillance Unit
and the National Prion Clinic.
The second report, commissioned on behalf of the Department of
Health by the Health Protection Agency, examines attitudes of key
stakeholders towards the possible future introduction of a vCJD
test for blood donations. The findings highlight a number of
issues around the potential introduction of such a test,
particularly the level of accuracy that would be required; whether
and how to notify those who have been tested of the results;
extending the test beyond blood donors; and whether testing might
affect people's willingness to donate blood.
Public Health Minister Caroline Flint said:
"We continue to monitor all aspects of vCJD very carefully,
and it is timely to review support arrangements for those
individuals at risk of developing the disease. Although the
current arrangements for support have worked well, the CGAG report
has highlighted the importance of standardising those arrangements
across the whole country.
"We are also preparing for the possible availability of a
test for vCJD. Whilst such a test could be valuable in helping to
identify people who may be at risk, the report, published today by
the Health Protection Agency, highlights some of the ethical and
practical questions we are facing, both in terms of supporting the
people affected, and protecting the public."
Sir William Stewart, Chairman of the CGAG, said:
"The Department of Health wisely takes a precautionary
approach in dealing with the potential for vCJD infection, as
there are still many gaps in our knowledge about the disease. I
hope that the CGAG report provides a framework for the services
available to those who, through a variety of routes, may be at
potential risk of vCJD.
"It is important that the individuals affected are supported
by their local GP and that they have access to more specialist
sources of support, but also to participate in research
opportunities, should they wish to do so."
To ensure appropriate levels of public health protection and
support for individuals it is important to understand the
prevalence of vCJD infection. To this end, the Health Protection
Agency is currently analysing samples from the National Anonymised
Tonsil Archive, and the Department of Health expects a report
shortly on the potential for establishing a post mortem tissue
archive to study the prevalence of vCJD.
Notes to editors:
1. Both reports can be found on-line at http://www.dh.gov.uk
2. Creutzfeldt-Jakob Disease (CJD) is one of a group of diseases
called Transmissible Spongiform Encephalopathies. All of these
diseases can have a very long incubation period, cause severe and
irreversible damage to the central nervous system. There are so
far no proven effective treatments.
3. vCJD was first identified in 1996 and affects younger people.
Variant CJD patients show signs of behavioural disorder,
depression and anxiety followed by problems with sensation and
co-ordination, leading to progressive dementia and death over a
period of six months to two years. The clinical, epidemiological,
neuropathological and experimental data all point to variant CJD
being caused by the same strain of prion as Bovine Spongiform
Encephalopathy (BSE).
4. There have been four known instances of vCJD transmission
through the blood supply: three of the recipients developed
clinical vCJD, while the other died of unrelated causes. Although
there is currently no approved blood test available, work is
urgently under way to develop one and to find new ways to reduce
the risks of transmission by filtering donated blood.
5. The report refers to the following as "people at risk":
- Recipients of blood components donated by people who later
developed vCJD.
- Recipients of certain plasma products (clotting factors).
- Blood donors to patients who later developed vCJD.
6. For enquiries please contact 020 7210 4850.
[ENDS]