Health Canada Advises Héma-Québec to put a Hold on Specific Blood Products

MONTREAL, QUEBEC, December 18, 1998 - Health Canada has advised Héma-Québec to put a hold on specific blood products supplied by Bayer Corporation. Health Canada and the United States Food and Drug Administration are investigating information related to a U.S. plasma donor who contributed to these plasma products. This donor has been tentatively diagnosed with the classic form (not the new variant) of Creutzfeldt-Jacob Disease (CJD). Currently there is no epidemiological evidence that CJD is transmitted through blood.

These are precautionary measures pending further information. This is not a recall.

The products involved are:

BayHep : Hepatitis B Immune Globulin
636S06AA
636S06BA
636S04A

Gamimune-SD : Intravenous Immune Globulin
646S027
646T027
646T036

Plasbumin : Albumin
684T027
685S044

Specific batches of Kogenate : Recombinant Factor VIII
670F093B
670G011A
670G012A
670G045A
670G064

Héma-Québec has advised hospitals to put a hold on their stocks of these products and to use alternatives, where possible. Héma-Québec is not instructing hospitals to return the products in question.

Héma-Québec's mission includes providing Quebecers with adequate quantities of safe, high-quality blood components, derivatives and substitutes to meet the needs of hospitals and to provide recognized expertise and specialized services in immuno-hematology.

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