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Summary of the 64th meeting of the Chief Medical Officers' Expert Advisory Group on AIDS (EAGA)

  • Published date:
    8 May 2001

The Expert Advisory Group on AIDS (EAGA) held its 64th meeting on 12 March 2001. At that meeting, the following items were discussed:

Report of the work of the UK Advisory Panel (UKAP) for health care workers infected with blood-borne viruses

EAGA was updated on the HIV/AIDS related work of UKAP, including the imminent start of a comprehensive exercise by two health authorities in North East London to contact patients treated by a dental health care worker between 1997 and 1999 who is now known to be HIV positive.

New members

The Chairman announced that Ministers had agreed to the appointment of 10 new EAGA members, including four lay members representing voluntary sector organisations. A number of the new appointees were present. The new members have all been appointed for an initial three-year term starting 1 March 2001. Their names are listed at the end of the summary report together with a brief summary of their careers to date.

Guidance for local authorities - Transmission of and testing for blood-borne viruses in children: HIV and hepatitis

EAGA were informed of progress with this guidance document. Since they commented on it at their last meeting, it has been discussed by the Advisory Group on Hepatitis. It was agreed that the external consultation exercise planned for late April/early May should involve not just local authorities but also health authorities and that its relevance to the latter be reflected in the title as 'Guidance for local authorities and the NHS'.

Good practice guidelines for prevention and control of BBVs in the renal dialysis and renal transplant units

EAGA were informed that this document is in the final stages of preparation and will be issued when the final amendments have been agreed.

Risk of HIV transmission associated with oral sex

Last year a subcommittee of EAGA carried out a review of the evidence concerning HIV transmission associated with oral sex. This was circulated widely to health professionals and the voluntary sector so that those who deliver HIV health promotion would be aware.

Since then, feedback from the field has indicated a need for the conclusions of the group to be clarified. As a result, EAGA has re-visited the review and considered more evidence that has recently emerged. This has not changed EAGA's original conclusions. All those organisations who received the original review will be sent a clarification for use in their local work and health promotion activities.

HIV and infant feeding

The Group commented on a revised version of the guidance updated in light of comments from a joint seminar held by the Department of Health and the Royal College of Midwives last year and the latest research evidence. A further round of revision is anticipated ahead of re-issuing the guidance later in the year.

Antenatal testing for HIV

EAGA received an update on progress towards the target to achieve a minimum uptake of antenatal HIV screening of 50% by the end of 2000. Preliminary reports show that, across London, approximately two-thirds of pregnant women are taking the test, but that uptake rates vary substantially by maternity unit. Progress outside London has been slower, but substantial improvements in the proportion of HIV-infected women diagnosed before birth have been seen in the first half of 2000 compared with 1999. The Chairman reported that when the infrastructure of antenatal screening co-ordinators is established, this will help implementation and monitoring of antenatal screening.

Members also revisited the HIV-specific antenatal testing standards and emphasised the importance of putting these in the public domain as soon as possible. Consultation on the standards covering the four infectious diseases tested for in pregnancy (HIV, hepatitis B, syphilis and rubella) is expected to precede publication.

HIV and AIDS - a guide for the education service

EAGA's comments were sought on the latest draft of this document. In addition changes were suggested but a more fundamental concern was voiced about the outdated tone of the document. A major overhaul was suggested and this will be discussed with DfEE.

Lookback studies involving HIV-infected health care workers

The joint EAGA/UKAP Working Group has been set up to review policy on HIV lookbacks met recently and the key points of their discussion were summarised. The next step is to establish the feasibility of categorising exposure-prone procedures into high-, medium- or low-risk. The Working Group will also be looking at policies adopted in other countries as well as policy on risk assessment and communication in the UK.

Sexual Health and HIV Strategy

Members discussed the format of a number of targets proposed as part of ongoing work. EAGA will input directly into target setting working group.

Notes to editor

1. Terms of Reference of the Expert Advisory Group on AIDS:

The Expert Advisory Group on AIDS (EAGA) is an advisory non-departmental public body which is non-statutory. It was established in 1985 "To provide advice on such matters relating to AIDS as may be referred to it by the Chief Medical Officers of the Health Departments of the United Kingdom". The Group meets three times a year and there have been 62 meetings to date. It currently has 13 members. Fixed terms of office are for three years and no member should serve more than two three-year terms. The Group has agreed to publish summary reports of meetings in the interests of openness and transparency.

2. Membership of EAGA:

  • Dr Pat Troop (Chair)
    Deputy Chief Medical Officer, Department of Health
  • Dr Andrew Freedman
    Senior Lecturer in Infectious Diseases, University of Wales College of Medicine, Department of Medicine, Heath Park CARDIFF CF4 4XN
  • Dr David Hawkins
    Consultant Physician ,John Hunter Clinic, St Stephen's Clinic, 369 Fulham Road, LONDON SW10 9TH
  • Professor Donald Jeffries
    Department of Virology, St Bartholomew's and the Royal London School of medicine and Dentistry, 48-53 St Bartholomew Close, West Smithfield, LONDON EC1A 7BE
  • Dr Margaret Johnson
    Consultant Physician, Dept of Thoracic Medicine, Royal Free Hospital, Pond Street, LONDON NW3 2QG
  • Mrs Diana Kloss
    Barrister and Senior Lecturer, University of Manchester, Faculty of Law, Oxford Road, MANCHESTER M13 9PL
  • Professor Michael Levin
    Professor of Paediatrics, Department of Paediatrics, St Mary's Hospital, Praed Street, LONDON W2 1NY
  • Mr Roger Marwood
    Consultant in Obstetrics & Gynaecology, Women's Services Unit, Chelsea and Westminster Hospital, 369 Fulham Road, LONDON SW10 9NH
  • Dr Nita Mitchell-Heggs
    Consultant Occupational Physician, Staff/Student Occupational Health Department, St George's Hospital, Blackshaw Road, LONDON SW17 OQT
  • Professor Catherine Peckham
    Head of Epidemiology & Biostatistics Dept of Epidemiology & Public Health, Institute of Child Health, 30 Guildford Street, LONDON WC2N 1EH
  • Professor Robert Pratt
    Director, Centre for Sexual Health & HIV Studies, Wolfson Institute of Health Studies at Thames Valley University, 32-38 Uxbridge Road, Ealing, LONDON W5 2SU
  • Mr Bernard Ribeiro
    Consultant Surgeon, Basildon & Thurrock General Hospital NHS Trust, Basildon Hospital, Nether Mayne, Basildon, ESSEX SS16 5NL
  • Ms Carolyn Roth
    Senior Lecturer in Midwifery, City University, School of Nursing and Midwifery, Philpott Street LONDON E1 2EA
  • Dr Mohsen Shahmanesh
    Consultant in GU Medicine, Department of Genito-Urinary Medicine, Whittall Street Clinic, Whittall Street BIRMINGHAM B4 6D

3. New members from 1 March 2001

Name - Speciality Career
Dr Raymond Brettle,
Consultant Physician		 Current position:
Consultant physician at the Western General Hospital, Edinburgh
Dr Jose Catalan
Consultant Psychiatrist		 Current position:
Reader of Psychiatry at Charing Cross and Westminster medical school and, Consultant Psychiatrist at Riverside Mental Health Trust, London
Dr Jeremy Hawker Consultant Epidemiologist/Public Health Doctor Current position:
Regional Epidemiologist/Head of Unit at the Communicable Disease Control Centre (West Midlands)
Mr Paul William McCrory
Voluntary sector		 Current position;
Chair of the Directors of the Network of Self Help HIV and AIDS Groups

Dr Marie-Louise Newell
Epidemiologist

 Current position:
Reader in Epidemiology, Senior Lecturer Unit of Epidemiology, Institute of Child Health, London
Mr Nick Partridge
Voluntary Sector		 Current position:
Chief Executive of the Terrence Higgins Trust
Dr Alison Rimmer
Consultant Occupational Physician		 Current position:
Consultant Occupational Physician and Director of the Occupational Health service at Northern General Hospital NHS Trust, Sheffield
Dr Surinder Singh
General Practitioner

Current position:
General Practitioner and Lecturer in General Practice at the Royal Free Hospital, London
Mrs Winnie Sseruma
Voluntary Sector		 Current position
Director of the UK Coalition of People Living with HIV/AIDS
Mr Basil Williams
Voluntary Sector		 Current position:
Chief Executive, Mainliners
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