Form On Blood Transfer Conforms With Medical Ethics

PUTRAJAYA, May 2 (Bernama) -- The form to be signed by patients or their family members if they agreed for blood transfer or transfer of blood components conforms with the medical ethics.
Health Minister Datuk Dr Chua Soi Lek said the form was meant to inform the patient that there were risks in receiving blood such as being infected by HIV, Hepatitis B, syphilis or other diseases.
"It is in line with the medical ethics code which requires every doctor to inform the patient of every treatment procedure to be taken.
"This is regarded as International Best Practice in medical ethics so that patients are aware what is happening and they have the right to accept or refuse the treatment," he told reporters in his office here Tuesday.
He was referring to a local English newspaper report which alleged the ministry was taking a lackadaisical attitude on the use of the form introduced last January.
The form states that the patient understands that despite testing and screening on the blood/blood components for HIV, Hepatitis B, Hepatitis C and Syphilis, there are still risks of developing the disease. The patient also made to understand that unavoidable complications due to the transfusion may also occur.
"It is not a disclaimer, we just inform him of the risk involved in the transfusion," he said.
He said the system was tested and acknowledged by the World Health Organisation (WHO).
"Nearly 100 percent of our blood donors are volunteers and they have to fill in a form describing their backgrounds and from the background we are able to tell whether the donors are of high risks or not.
"All blood received undergoes test and the government spends RM200 on each unit of blood to ensure it is free from disease," he said.
Chua said the ministry received 420,000 units of blood and only one percent is rejected.
"It is not right to say that many people became infected after receiving blood from hospitals," he said.