Experiences with genetic screening for established and new agents.

In England the introduction of PCR for HCV RNA in minipools has been a nationally coordinated project. The current programme is designed to ensure that all frozen components will have been tested for HCV RNA on pools of 96 samples before their release. To meet EEC requirements, the original planning was aimed at the PCR testing of minipools of 480 samples before making final pools of plasma for fractionation. However, with the sourcing of plasma for fractionation from the USA as a precaution against possible risk from new variant CJD, the project was modified to allow release of HCV PCR tested components.