Blood Feuds : AIDS, Blood, and the Politics of Medical Disaster

In the mid-1980s public health officials in North America, Europe, Japan, and Australia discovered that almost half of the hemophiliac population, as well as tens of thousands of blood transfusion recipients, had been infected with HIV-tainted blood. This book provides a comparative perspective on the political, legal, and social struggles that emerged in response to the HIV contamination of the blood supply of the industrialized world. It describes how eight nations responded to the first signs that AIDS might be transmitted through blood, how early efforts to secure the blood supply faltered, and what measures were ultimately implemented to resolve the contamination. The authors detail the remarkable mobilization of hemophiliacs who challenged the state, the medical establishment, and their own caregivers to seek recompense and justice. In the end, the blood establishments in almost all the advanced industrial nations were shaken. In Canada, the Red Cross was forced to withdraw from blood collection and distribution. In Japan, pharmaceutical firms that manufactured clotting factor agreed to massive compensation -- $500,000 per hemophiliac infected. In France, blood officials went to prison. Even in Denmark, where the number of infected hemophiliacs was relatively small, the struggle and litigation surrounding blood has resulted in the most protracted legal and administrative conflict in modern Danish history. Blood Feuds brings together chapters on the experiences of the United States, Japan, France, Canada, Germany, Denmark, Italy, and Australia with four comparative essays that shed light on the cultural, institutional, and economic dimensions of the HIV/blood disaster. In The Mid-1980s Public Health Officials In North America, Europe, Japan, And Australia Discovered That Almost Half Of The Hemophiliac Population, As Well As Tens Of Thousands Of Blood Transfusion Recipients, Had Been Infected With Hiv-tainted Blood. This Book Provides A Comparative Perspective On The Political, Legal, And Social Struggles That Emerged In Response To The Hiv Contamination Of The Industrialized Worlds Blood Supply. It Describes How Eight Nations Responded To The First Signs That Aids Might Be Transmitted Through Blood, And How They Falteringly Arrived At And Finally Implemented Measures To Secure The Blood Supply. The Authors Detail The Remarkable Saga Of The Mobilization Of Hemophiliacs Who Challenged The State, The Medical Establishment, And Even Their Own Caregivers As They Sought Recompense And Justice. In The End, The Blood Establishments In Almost Every Advanced Industrial Nation Were Shaken. In Canada, The Red Cross Was Forced To Withdraw From Blood Collection And Distribution. In Japan, Pharmaceutical Firms That Manufactured Clotting Factor Agreed To Massive Compensation -- $500,000 Per Hemophiliac Infected. In France, Blood Officials Went To Prison. Even In Denmark, Where The Number Of Infected Hemophiliacs Was Relatively Small, The Struggle And Litigation Surrounding Blood Has Resulted In The Most Protracted Legal And Administrative Conflict In Modern Danish History. Blood Feuds Brings Together Chapters On The Experiences Of The United States, Japan, France, Canada, Germany, Denmark, Italy, And Australia With Four Comparative Essays That Shed Light On The Cultural, Institutional, And Economic Dimensions Of The Hiv/blood Disaster.--publisher Description (loc). Blood And Aids In America: Science, Politics, And The Making Of An Iatrogenic Catastrophe / Ronald Bayer -- Hiv And Blood In Japan: Transforming Private Conflict Into Public Scandal / Eric A. Feldman -- The Nation's Blood: Medicine, Justice, And The State In France / Monika Steffen -- From Trust To Tragedy: Hiv/aids And The Canadian Blood System / Norbert Gilmore And Margaret A. Somerville -- The Never-ending Story? The Political And Legal Controversies Over Hiv And The Blood Supply In Denmark / Erik Albæk -- Blood Scandal And Aids In Germany / Stephan Dressler -- Blood, Bureaucracy And Law: Responding To Hiv-tainted Blood In Italy / Umberto Izzo -- Hiv-contaminated Blood And Australian Policy: The Limits Of Success / John Ballard -- Cultural Perspectives On Blood / Dorothy Nelkin -- The Politics Of Blood: Hemophilia Activism In The Aids Crisis / David Kirp -- The Circulation Of Blood: Aids, Blood, And The Economics Of Information / Sherry Glied -- Conclusion: The Comparative Politics Of Contaminated Blood: From Hesitancy To Scandal / Theodore R. Marmor, Patricia A. Dillon, And Stephen Scher. Edited By Eric A. Feldman, Ronald Bayer. Includes Bibliographical References And Index. Annotation In the mid-1980s public health officials in North America, Europe, Japan, and Australia discovered that almost half of the hemophiliac population, as well as tens of thousands of blood transfusion recipients, had been infected with HIV-tainted blood. This book provides a comparativeperspective on the political, legal, and social struggles that emerged in response to the HIV contamination of the blood supply of the industrialized world. It describes how eight nations responded to the first signs that AIDS might be transmitted through blood, how early efforts to secure the bloodsupply faltered, and what measures were ultimately implemented to resolve the contamination. The authors detail the remarkable mobilization of hemophiliacs who challenged the state, the medical establishment, and their own caregivers to seek recompense and justice. In the end, the bloodestablishments in almost all the advanced industrial nations were shaken. In Canada, the Red Cross was forced to withdraw from blood collection and distribution. In Japan, pharmaceutical firms that manufactured clotting factor agreed to massive compensation -- $500,000 per hemophiliac infected. InFrance, blood officials went to prison. Even in Denmark, where the number of infected hemophiliacs was relatively small, the struggle and litigation surrounding blood has resulted in the most protracted legal and administrative conflict in modern Danish history. Blood Feuds brings together chapterson the experiences of the United States, Japan, France, Canada, Germany, Denmark, Italy, and Australia with four comparative essays that shed light on the cultural, institutional, and economic dimensions of the HIV/blood disaster Contents......Page 10 Contributors......Page 12 Introduction: Understanding the Blood Feuds......Page 16 Part I: National Encounters with Blood and AIDS......Page 32 1. Blood and AIDS in America: Science, Politics, and the Making of an latrogenic Catastrophe......Page 34 2. HIV and Blood in Japan: Transforming Private Conflict into Public Scandal......Page 74 3. The Nation's Blood: Medicine, Justice, and the State in France......Page 110 4. From Trust to Tragedy: HIV/AIDS and the Canadian Blood System......Page 142 5. The Never-Ending Story? The Political and Legal Controversies over HIV and the Blood Supply in Denmark......Page 176 6. Blood "Scandal" and AIDS in Germany......Page 206 7. Blood, Bureaucracy and Law: Responding to HIV-Tainted Blood in Italy......Page 228 8. HIV-Contaminated Blood and Australian Policy: The Limits of Success......Page 258 Part II: Comparative Perspectives on the Politics of Medical Diaster......Page 286 9. Cultural Perspectives on Blood......Page 288 10. The Politics of Blood: Hemophila Activism in the AIDS Crisis......Page 308 11. The Circulation of Blood: AIDS, Blood, and the Economics of Information......Page 338 Conclusion: The Comparative Politics of Contaminated Blood: From Hesitancy to Scandal......Page 364 B......Page 382 C......Page 384 D......Page 385 I......Page 386 M......Page 388 P......Page 389 W......Page 390 In the mid-1980s, public health officials throughout the world discovered that nearly half the hemophiliac population, and tens of thousands of blood transfusion recipients, had been infected with HIV-infected blood. This book provides a comparative perspective on the political, legal, and social struggles that emerged in response to the HIV contamination of the industrialized world's blood supply. The book includes four comparative essays that shed light on the cultural, institutional, and economic dimensions of the HIV blood disaster.