I.V. Drug Abusers Continue to Donate Blood, Plasma: Study

- - 1--

AMA NEWS RELEASE
KBAOBD FOR RELEASE: 4:30 pan. (CDT) TUESDAY, APRIL 24, 1990
For further information, contacts Patti Diets Davis, 312/645-4843
I.V. DRUG ABUSERS CONTINUE TO
DONATE BLOOD, PLASMAs STUDY
CHICAGO'-Despite the risk of transmitting the AIDS virus, intravenous drug abusers
continue to sell their blood and plasma, says a study in Wednesday's Journal of
the American Medical Association.
Many of these drug abusers do not know if they carry the human immunodeficiency
virus (HIV), say the authors, Kenrad E. Nelson, ND, of the Dep tment of
Epidemiology, The Johns Hopkins School of Hygiene and Public Heal, Baltimore,
ld., and colleagues. Since March 1985, all blood and plasma donors 2t.this
country have been tested for antibodies to HIV, but the risk of disease
transmission has not been entirely eliminated, they say. Only about half of
seropositive intravenous drug users who donated at commercial plasma centers were
notified of their HIV status.
"The continued donation of plasma, and occasionally blood, by intravenous drug
users, who are at high risk of HIV 1 infection, is troubling and warrants further
attention," conclude the authors.
The resai:hare:tudi:4 the blond dnd plasma donation histories of 2,921
intravenous drug abusers in the Baltimore metropolitan area. Participants were
recruited through drug treatment centers, street outreach, homeless centers,
emergency departments and clinics, and by personal referral. They had been using
illicit drugs for an average of 12 years. Twenty-four percent of participants. ~~ were seropositive for HIV-1 at the time they entered the study.
____ eBloo or pasmareor te donatiosbteee98ad sc198 were ret byV 793e(27.1
Americon Medical Association, Deportment of Public information. 535 Nor th Dearborn St., Chicago. Iflnois 60610