TORONTO, Nov 20 (AFP) - Canadian authorities on Wednesday laid charges of criminal negligence and common nuisance against the Canadian Red Cross Society, a US pharmaceutical company and four doctors stemming from the 1980s tainted blood scandal.
More than 1,000 people were infected with Human Immunodeficiency Virus (HIV) and some 17,000 contracted hepatitis C through tainted blood during that time, according to health groups.
The Royal Canadian Mounted Police (RCMP) Blood Task Force charged the Canadian Red Cross Society with six counts of common nuisance by endangering the public.
In the charges, authorities allege the Red Cross failed to adequately screen blood donors and failed to properly test blood supplies, among other activities.
The New Jersey-based Armour Pharmaceutical Company faces three counts of criminal negligence causing bodily harm and one count of common nuisance by endangering the public.
Two of the doctors charged worked for the federal government in different health divisions.
"The possibility exists that we will be laying further charges," said Rod Knecht, a leading investigator in the RCMP task force, formed after a federal inquiry criticized all parties, but failed to level any charges against any of them.
The Canadian Hemophilia Society, calling it the worst health scandal in Canadian history, welcomed the RCMP charges.
"Health Canada (the federal department), the Red Cross and the Pharmaceutical Industry had been told for years that supervision of the blood system was inadequate and yet chose not to act in a timely manner.
"It is appropriate that they be held accountable," it said, noting that the federal inquiry underlined the fact that much of the contaminated blood could have been avoided.
Although blood testing for HIV was available in the early 1980s, the Canadian Red Cross did not begin testing for it until 1985.
"Today, we cannot respond in a formal way as we have not yet had an opportunity to review the charges fully with board of governors and our legal counsel," said Doctor Pierre Duplessis, secretary general and CEO of the Canadian Red Cross, at a press conference in Ottawa.
"This is a tragedy and we fully understand that," he said, while still noting his surprise at the charges laid.
"We have taken our responsibility very seriously since 1998. We have transferred the blood program. We have restructured the (Red Cross) society. We have settled all civil claims and we provided compensation," he added.
Court appearances for the accused are scheduled in nearby Hamilton and Toronto on December 10 and 11.
Maximum sentences for criminal negligence are 10 years in prison and two years for public nuisance, police said.
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