AIDS and the blood bankers.

SINCE DECEMBER 1982, when it became clear that Acquired Immune Deficiency Syndrome (AIDS) could be transmitted by blood transfusion, the blood bankers and their federal regulators have been unwaveringly optimistic that the spread of this lethal new disease by transfusion could be controlled. In June 1983, Edward Carr, the president of the American Association of Blood Banks (AABB) said "there is little or no danger to the general public." Then-Secretary of Health and Human Services Margaret Heckler announced that "there should be no fear among the public that they may develop AIDS through ... blood transfusions." Two-and-a-half years and over 250 cases of transfusion AIDS later, Secretary Heckler described a new blood test for the antibody to the AIDS virus (HTLV-III) as "the answer to the prayers of thousands of Americans facing surgery or otherwise requiring blood." The Centers for Disease Control (CDC), after analyzing the initial results of the test's efficacy, proclaimed it "just fantastic" and "a tremendous accomplishment," concluding that "people should not be concerned about accepting blood," and that "we have pretty much solved the transfusion-associated AIDS cases." According to the CDC, any new cases of transfusion AIDS would be those caused by infection before the antibody test became available. From the start, the public has been skepti-