Witnessing medical history: an interview with Dr Rosemary Biggs. Interview by Christine Lee and Charles Rizza

The legacy of haemophilia: Memories and reflections from three survivors

Following the publication of a book of personal memories by one of us (CS^1,2), we have attempted to synthesis our joint memories of three ageing men, born in the era preceding universal access to treatment, in an attempt to describe our experience, our challenges and our reflections on the development of therapies, which have ensured that our experience of growing up with haemophilia in the 1950s and 1960s has not been mirrored by the current generation of patients. We describe our upbringing in different parts of Europe in health care systems which, while of varying standards, were all unable to offer the kind of care which developed after the development of specific therapies. We assess the effect of the contamination of these therapies by blood‐borne pathogens on our own development, and the development of our communities around us. In addition, we reflect on the lessons learnt, sometimes painfully, by our generation of people with haemophilia and how some of these enabled us to overcome substantial hurdles, survive and build productive lives. Finally, we survey the development of therapies in the past 20 years, and offer some reflections on how our experience can be integrated in a realistic expectation of what the future holds for our community, in our own affluent societies and in countries less advantaged economically. We hope that our thoughts may contribute to continued progress in the field of haemophilia care.

Rosemary Biggs MD FRCP (1912-2001) and Katharine Dormandy MD FRCP (1926-78): from laboratory to treatment and care of people with haemophilia

In 1977 the Haemophilia Society presented the first RG Macfarlane Award to Katharine Dormandy for her outstanding contribution towards the social and physical wellbeing of people with haemophilia and related disorders. In 1978 Rosemary Biggs was the second recipient of the Award given for similarly outstanding personal contributions. Dr Biggs worked under Dr RG Macfarlane at Oxford and in 1952 devised a laboratory test that identified two forms of haemophilia. Macfarlane realized the potential for replacement therapy which subsequently transformed the lives of haemophiliacs in the UK. Dr Biggs was director of the Oxford Haemophilia Centre (1967-77) and instrumental in documenting the increase in incidence of jaundice with the import of concentrates for infusion. Katharine Dormandy, Consultant Haematologist at the Royal Free Hospital in London, set up one of the country's foremost haemophilia centres, pioneered home treatment for haemophilic children and with Rosemary Biggs was involved in the social and educational welfare of affected families.