| MELBOURNE | | patients should first contact their | | line with the rest of the country. |
| | local doctor, who would refer | | But Dr Coghlan said it was |
| ABOUT 200 Victorian families | | them to the Blood Bank for | | wrong to assume it was safer for |
| are expected to use a new system | | preliminary checks. | | children to receive blood from |
| that allows parents to donate | | | | parents. "There is no evidence that |
| blood to their children through | | Dr Coghlan said the Blood | | directed donations are safer," he |
| the Red Cross Blood Bank. | | Bank had to check whether a | | said. |
| The move, starting on | | child had the same blood type as | | The State Government has |
| Monday, is part of sweeping | | either parent before taking blood | | agreed to all the recommenda- |
| changes to Victoria's transfusion | | and storing it for transfusion. | | tions of a review of the current |
| system sparked after a | | | | system. It has provided $100,000 |
| Melbourne schoolgirl contracted | | It is expected that in the first | | to implement the new system. |
| HIV from a blood transfusion. | | 12 months 200 families will take | | |
| Blood Bank Victorian director | | advantage of the new system, | | -Australian associated press |
| Patrick Coghlan said prospective | | which will bring Victoria into | | |
