Awareness and Politics of Venous Thromboembolism in the United Kingdom

Abstract

Because of travelers’ thrombosis, hard campaigning, and lobbying, the awareness of venous thromboembolism is markedly improving within the United Kingdom. The present improvements relate directly to championing of the cause by a charity and British politicians. This article summarizes the story of the awakening, which had occurred since 2000. “Education, education, education.” Tony Blair, British Prime Minister, 1997 to 2007. In September 2000 the death of a 28-year-old woman, Emma Kristofferson, who collapsed and died from a pulmonary embolism after leaving a 20-hour flight from Sydney to Heathrow airport provoked a media furor. Since that time there have been numerous articles in the British press about travel & deep vein thrombosis (DVT), such that the average informed member of the public is aware of the initials DVT but relates risk to travel. The words “economy class syndrome” and “travelers thrombosis” have entered common parlance. A Lifeblood commissioned MORI poll of more than 2000 people in the UK in 2006 showed that more than 50% of the population could associate leg pain and swelling with the word thrombosis. The issue of travelers’ thrombosis was also picked up by the House of Commons Science and Technology Committee in their report on Air Travel and Health in 2001,1 and after hearing evidence from experts they demanded the airlines provided more information. John Smith MP, Labor member for the Vale of Glamorgan, was elected chairman of an all-party group set up to investigate the causes of flight-related deep vein thrombosis (DVT) and campaigned to increase awareness.2 Despite the growing recognition since 2000 that the risks of developing travelers’ thrombosis are very low for the healthy traveling public, the press interest in this has been sustained. In 2002 frustrated with the lack of awareness and understanding among health professionals and the general public …