To ask the Secretary of State for Health if he will fast-track approval by the Advisory Committee on the Safety of Blood, Tissues and Organs of pathogen inactivation for blood products to ensure the UK blood supply is (A)H1N1-free; and if he will make a statement. (274791)

To ask the Secretary of State for Health what plans his Department has to protect the UK from the A(H1N1) virus; if he will fast-track approval by the Advisory Committee on the Safety of Blood, Tissues and Organs of pathogen inactivation for blood products to ensure that the UK blood supply is (A)H1N1-free; and if he will made a statement. (274717)

The Advisory Committee on the Safety of Blood, Tissues and Organs is currently reviewing risk-reduction measures for platelets, which include pathogen inactivation. There are currently no pathogen inactivation systems available for red blood cells, the most commonly prescribed blood component. Current expert advice is that risk of transmission of influenza through blood components is low, although the position is being kept under review.

To ask the Secretary of State for Health what quantities of pathogen inactivated (A)H1N1-free blood products are available in the UK; what plans he has to adopt pathogen inactivation for all civilian and military blood products if the World Health Organisation designates the (A)H1N1 outbreak a pandemic; and if he will make a statement. (274792)

To ask the Secretary of State for Health what quantities of pathogen-inactivated (A)H1N1-free blood products are stockpiled in the UK; what plans his Department has to adopt pathogen inactivation for all civilian and military blood products if the World Health Organisation designates the (A)H1N1 outbreak a pandemic; and if he will make a statement. (274720)

Red cells are the most commonly prescribed blood component. There are no pathogen inactivation systems currently available for red cells. Risk-reduction measures for platelets, which include pathogen inactivation, are currently being reviewed by the Advisory Committee of the Safety of Blood, Tissues and Organs. It is anticipated that this review will be completed shortly. Plasma imported from the United States of America for use in the under-16s is pathogen inactivated. Current expert advice is that risk of transmission of influenza through blood components is low, although the position is being kept under review.