TOKYO - The Japanese government bears the ultimate
responsibility for hepatitis C infections caused by tainted blood
products, Prime Minister Yasuo Fukuda said Monday.
"Pharmaceutical matters are the responsibility of the authority that
grants permissions for them," Fukuda said. "In that sense, I believe the
government bears responsibility in various ways, including moral
responsibility."
"I expect we'll be discussing the matter further in the (governing)
party as we work on this," he added, referring to proposed legislation
aimed at providing aid to a group of about 1,000 hepatitis C sufferers.
The prime minister also said he intends to meet with the group, who are
seeking damages from the government and drugmakers.
About 200 patients have filed lawsuits in five courts across Japan,
demanding compensation from the government and drugmakers Nihon
Pharmaceutical Co., Mitsubishi Pharma Corp. - now called Mitsubishi
Tanabe Pharma - and its subsidiary Benesis Corp.. Japanese news media
say about 800 more are expected to file suits.
The plaintiffs said they contracted hepatitis C while using defective
blood-clotting medicines, mostly in the 1980s, and claim the government
and the drugmakers continued to use the medicines, despite knowing they
were potentially contaminated.
Four of the five courts have ordered the defendants - the government and
drugmakers - to compensate dozens of patients and the Osaka High Court
issued a settlement proposal in November. The two sides have since attempted
to reach an out-of-court settlement, although negotiations have bogged down
over how the plaintiffs would be compensated.
On Sunday, Fukuda said his governing bloc would submit legislation - drafted
in consultation with the main opposition Democratic party - to provide aid
to tainted blood patients.
Although as many as 10,000 people may have been infected by hepatitis C
through the tainted products, only the 1,000 lawsuit participants are
expected to be eligible for the aid.
The drugmakers have publicly said little on the issue, other than they were
keeping a close eye on the progress of the lawsuits. Phones rang unanswered
at the three companies Monday.
Hepatitis C is a chronic, blood-borne virus that that can cause damage to
the liver leading to cancer, cirrhosis and liver failure. It is treatable
but many people who have the disease do not even know they are infected.
An estimated two million Japanese have contracted the disease, many through
tainted blood products, news reports say.
