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New evidence in body parts sale scandal PITUITARY glands
of dead children were sold by a pathologist in Ireland’s biggest
children’s hospital to a pharmaceutical company in Britain for as
little as £1.50 each in the early 1980s.
Documents have revealed that in one case the pathologist was offered a
collection of books in exchange for a batch of glands.
The latest revelation in Ireland’s organ retention scandal has prompted
fresh calls for an inquiry into the removal of 14,000 pituitary glands
during post mortem examinations between 1976 and 1988.
The findings are contained in documents from a Freedom of Information
(FOI) request from the campaign group Parents for Justice.
They show that in some cases individual pathologists dealt with the sale
of pituitary glands of dead children rather than the hospitals themselves.
They also show that the Rotunda Hospital in Dublin received a donation
from a British-based pharmaceutical company in 1972 — a sum far
greater than typical donations at the time.
The hospital has previously admitted retaining organ tissue from babies
without parental knowledge.
Parents for Justice has supported more than 1,500 families of deceased
children since 1999.
The latest FOI documents reveal dealings between individual pathologists
and pharmaceutical companies who used pituitary glands to make a growth
hormone drug for children with stunted growth.
A letter in 1980 from the Irish manager of the pharmaceutical firm to
a pathologist in Crumlin Hospital for Sick Children said: “Many
thanks for the glands received. Now that we have made two collections
from you we have a contribution of £57 for the work involved in
extracting the glands.
“Perhaps you might like to nominate how you would like this money
to be dispatched.”
The letter added: “When we spoke on our original meeting you said
you might like to buy some books and if you wish to do this you may order
the books of your choice from Surgical Distributors and have the account
sent to us.”
A year later, a letter from the manager of the same company said: “From
now onwards the amount payable for the work involved in the extraction
of the glands will be raised by £1 to a contribution of £2.50
to take account of inflation etc.”
In another case a pathologist from Waterford Regional Hospital used money
paid by pharmaceutical companies in exchange for organs as a donation
for the St. Vincent de Paul charity. |
