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—e “ Continued from page Al tion of Armour blood products. a oun S a But Dr. Perrault and the Red ( « a “The Canadian public needs to have also face charges in connection \ | confidence in their public institutions. variety of other issues that werc The Canadian public has the right to _ tral to the tainted-blood trage: ; expect the safest blood and safest particular, Dr. Perrault and th: & a I e S O V e i _ | blood products possible. This is fun- Cross allegedly endangered the j damental to the health, safety and _ by: failing to “discharge their di : lives of everyone living in Canada.” take reasonable Measures to s “@ . Notably, Supt. Knecht. added the out those blood donors” who task force’s work is not yet complete have had AIDS; failing to use z aln e O O because there are still “specific as- “test kit” available in the mid-i pects” of the probe to examine. which detected the AIDS virus i “The possibility still exists that we nated blood; and failing to use'a , 2 8 will be laying further charges,” said _rogate test” to detect hepatitis- Health Canada, Red Cross officials : Sit xnccne fected blood. Charged are: face up to l0yearsin prison |, *eiesa Rue, 75.fotave.te know that Fam certak after five-year ROMP investigation ' lozics at the federal governments going to sleep a lot bet Health Protection Branch. Dr. Furesz A AAs «K is charged with three counts of crimi- tonight knowing the RC. eM y nal negligence causing bodily harm - did their job.’ and one count of common nuisance by Joo. “TORONTO —_ “Two former » REMP. Supt. Rod Knecht, who ; Nrcaith ‘Canada officials anda ‘headed the ‘Mounties’ special .| former.senior executive of the ' “blood task -force,” said the : Canadian Red Cross could face charges: were laid after a “delib- endangering the public. The maxi- Mike McCarthy, tainted blood recip mum penalty, if convicted under the ~ criminal negligence charge, isio years, ® Armour, ; a ‘company ; now, bas and two years if convicted under the. Bridgewater, New Jersey, i is, che : we i 0} Years in prison ‘if cone ‘erate a and thorough” i investiga-| common nuisance charge. with three counts of criminal p j victec of charges laid by the ‘tion, “>> ~ ’* ¢ Dr. Wark Boucher, 62, of Ottawa, gence causing bodily harm anc 4] RCMP in connection with the -! ~« 4 1 “The _res onsibility of the '| tainte d-bloo d scan dal 0 .. the bik ones isc spo! says ational po" | the former chief of the blood products count of common nuisance in co) 4 i 198 te division of the bureau of biologicsin _ tion with the distribution of its} ah he hen : ad th se , the Health Protection. Branch. Dr, uct. Italso-faces one count of faili gilts ie RCMP announce r te Boucher is also charged with-three comply. with the Food and Drug: s ae b valk ‘counts of criminal negligence causing regulations. ‘ vestigation yesterday by rev die bodily harm and one count of com- = The RCMP alleges the com vides ik heen ‘charge 4, Dut that ee mon nuisance by endangering the failed to notify Canada’s federal h - charges have also been ‘Taid lice service is to ensure safe public. RCMP alle he ch regulators ddef fi, Gately of a defi 4 against the Canadian Red Cross {homes aid safe communities,” e eges‘ the charges cy or alleged deficiency” in the x | soc ty, which was stripped by, |isaid (Supt. Knecht. against Dr. Furesz and Dr. Boucher are.... facturing process by which.it k in relation to an episode in the tainted- the AIDS virus in its blood produc ‘| governments of i its blood-col- | * blood scandal known as the “Armour e Dr. Michael Rodell, 70, of -| lecting responsibilities in. 1998 "| ond 4 th ke incident.” According to the Krever re- _ Cynwid, Pennsylvania, the fo: os 5 well, char €r wor bees port, questions were raised internally ' vice-president of scientific and 1 ’ hid we e enarees b ave een in 1985° at Armour, Pharmaceutical _ latory affairs at Armour. He is che ve ee US ik th ceu about whether its form of-heat-treat- with three-counts of criminal n ] Heal Lo. a irm that pro- ment was working well enough to kill gence causing bodily harm and *.| duced blood products, and one the AINS virus in blood products it - count of common nuisance — a; - ofits former Senlor executives, developed for use by hemophiliacs. in connection with the distributic e The long-awaited announce- Those concerns by a scientist were allegedly tainted blood products. +] ment was greeted with applause not immediately publicized by the The Red Cross and Dr. Perraul | by tainted-blood victims, who company and although the questions _ to appear in a Hamilton court De os for Tred demanded that “jus- did become public in later months, while the other accused are to ap : fee Be done. In reciente Health Canada did not order its recall ina Toronto court Dec. u. | Justice Horace Krever blasted a until 1987. Thus, the RCMP allege that Mike McCarthy, who got hepati Dr. Furesz and Dr. Boucher did “by from tainted blood, said the five- criminal negligence” permit Armour’s _ criminal investigation was wort! AIDS-contaminated blood products to ~ wait. range of players — including the “| federal government, the : | provinces and the Red Cross — for mistakes that left about 1200 be distributed and that they “endan- “I know that Iam certainly goit C. J vad infected with bloc 4 gered the lives, safety or health of the sleep a lot better tonight knowin; lb anal HIV e qt wi f tho 7 public.” RCMP did their job. It validates orne and tens of thou- © Dr. Roger Perrault, 66,.of Ottawa, _ concerns of my family that knew .;| Sands contaminated with hepati- , the former director of the Canadian _ infection was not brought on by a) : tisC. : . Red Cross Society's blood transfusion of God, but by a man-made deci “ heed de RCMP an own service..He is charged with three- that probably placed money ove} there was sufficient. evi idenc eto. counts of criminal negligence causing safety.” bodily harm and seven counts of com- Mr. McCarthy said he’s got no p -lay criminal charges — and if so, mon nuisance by endangering the lem with people serving the m ream and for what al- public; - om mum jail time associated with i¢Ganadian Red Cross. Society:i is _ charges. e arged with six.counts ofcommon ~ “I think of.all the suffering that nuisance by endangering t 1e public, . , taken place and all the lives that J . The; REMP alleges that rt, ‘Perrault, been lost. If they have to go to. jai slike the: two federal officials, broke the 10 years, so be it. I think the cri ‘Jaw in connection withy the-distribu- . justify that Jength of time in prison