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Risk assessments for vCJD transmission via donated bone or tissues

From the first identification of variant Creutzfeldt-Jacob Disease (vCJD), Risk Assessments carried out within the Department of Health (DH) have been based on the presumption that vCJD infection might be transmissible from person to person. The two most significant potential routes were identified as blood transfusion and hospital surgery. Work on both can be accessed elsewhere on www.dh.gov.uk and are discussed further in Bennett et al (2005) and Bennett and Dobra (2006) respectively.

Given that an unknown number of people might be carrying vCJD without showing any symptoms of the disease, the potential for transmission of infection via donated bone or tissues also needs to be considered. To date, there are no known instances of this having occurred (in contrast to transmission via blood transfusion), but the possibility cannot be ruled out. The number of patients receiving donated bone or tissues is much smaller than the number receiving blood transfusions, but is still substantial. It is appropriate to consider precautionary measures to minimise the risk of vCJD transmission via these potential routes, while also bearing in mind the need to ensure sufficiency of supply.

This preface introduces a pair of papers produced by analysts in the former Economics and Operational Research (EOR) Division within DH, setting out risk assessments for vCJD transmission via donated bone and tissues. Both have drawn heavily on expert scientific input and guidance.

• Download preface (PDF, 151K)
• vCJD infection risks of bone products: a comparative assessment
• On the risk of vCJD transmission via donated tissues or stem cells: preliminary analysis