Haemophiliacs Warned Of Risk To Family (Press, 19 September 1985)

A report published in the "British Medical Journal" on 19 September 1985 has raised concerns about haemophiliacs starting families due to the risk of their infants being born with AIDS. Compiled by medical professionals in London and Newcastle, the report reveals alarming findings that indicate AIDS can be transmitted to the wives of haemophiliac patients through sexual contact. Specifically, two out of three haemophiliacs who received blood transfusions at the Haemophilia Research Centre in Newcastle upon Tyne were found to have developed antibodies to AIDS, suggesting they had been exposed to the virus and could potentially develop the disease themselves. The study involved 120 haemophiliac patients, and notably, none of them belonged to typical risk groups for AIDS, with the exception of one individual who had a history of drug abuse. The report highlights the distressing fact that three patients from the study have already succumbed to AIDS. Given the mode of transmission, the report warns that haemophiliacs should consistently use barrier contraception methods and refrain from starting families until further information is available regarding the transmission of AIDS to unborn children. The heightened risk for haemophiliacs is linked to the clotting agents they rely on, which are sourced from large pools of donor blood. This situation underscores significant public health concerns and the need for cautious family planning among those affected by haemophilia.

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