Top Bangkok hospital responds to cancer patient who says he got HIV from blood transfusion

[webfact]

Top Bangkok hospital responds to cancer patient who says he got HIV from blood transfusion

 

Caption: We'll look after him well

 

One of Thailand's leading and most expensive private hospitals in Bangkok has responded to claims made on TV that a man of mixed Thai/Japanese parentage contracted HIV from a blood transfusion while undergoing long term treatment for leukemia. 

 

The hospital has not denied that he might have contracted HIV there but they say that the possibility is remote.

 

Takeru, 24, started receiving treatment for his leukemia in 2004 and has made 266 visits to the hospital since then racking up bills of 7 million baht in the process. 

 

When Takeru went on TV the hospital was identified by the logo on documents shown on the show. 

 

In statements the hospital said that the blood products they use come from the Thai Red Cross that utilizes national and international screening protocols including the NAT or Nucleic Acid Amplification test.

 

This test can be used to spot bacteria and viruses like HIV in donors' blood among other things. 

 

The Red Cross also check the medical history of donors and question them about their activities. 

 

But the hospital said it was possible for blood to contain HIV because there is a "window period" after a person gets infected with HIV when tests may not show up the virus. 

 

Though this is a very unlikely occurrence, they said. 

 

The hospital said that all patients are warned of the possibility of contracting blood diseases from blood transfusions and accept that risk. 

 

They said they were sorry for what had befallen this particular man but due to patient confidentiality were unable to discuss it in more detail. 

 

Suffice to say, they said that they had always done everything for the patient in terms of cancer and HIV care over the years and would continue to do so. 

 

Source: Sanook

 

 

-- © Copyright Thai Visa News 2019-05-10

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[RotBenz8888]

27 minutes ago, webfact said:

When Takeru went on TV the hospital was identified by the logo on documents shown on the show

Have the hospital sued him yet?

[rkidlad]

Bkk Post reporting that the hospital have now admitted it. 

[bubba]

2 hours ago, rkidlad said:

Bkk Post reporting that the hospital have now admitted it. 

They also name the hospital.

[madmen]

If it wasnt for bad luck that guy would have no luck at all

[RJRS1301]

Let us hope they have begun Antiretroviral Therapy for the patient, his treatment regime will be complex because of his leukemia therapy, hope they do not charge him for any treatment required and compensate him

[justin case]

in USA you get money for your plasma, here, you have to pay for your own blood work tests before you can give blood for free

[hotchilli]

8 hours ago, webfact said:

Suffice to say, they said that they had always done everything for the patient in terms of cancer and HIV care over the years and would continue to do so.

At his continuing expense no doubt.

[steffi]

Did they announce any plans to screen previously donated blood or contact other recipients of transfusions and offer free testing?


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[RJRS1301]

11 hours ago, steffi said:

Did they announce any plans to screen previously donated blood or contact other recipients of transfusions and offer free testing?


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I am not sure about protocol for blood bank in Thailand, but in Oz, there was always a sample from each transfusion pack held, with a unique identifier code for multiple tracing purposes, (donor/recipient/hospital which received blood and also further test screening if required. 

[oldrunner]

I used to donate blood monthly and never had a problem. Got some kind of VD in Korea and was told I should never donate again and I never have.