How infected blood scandal developed – the decision to increase the profits killed thousands

A new ITV documentary reveals the terrible truth about the greatest medical catastrophe of Great Britain, the infected blood scandal

From 1970 to the beginning of the nineties, an estimated 30,000 people across Great Britain were unknowingly involved in the infected blood scandal, which had been buried for decades.

The history of the “worst treatment disaster” in the history of the NHS is to be examined in a new documentary, the British blood scandal: poisoned at school, follows the survivors of the “devastated” scandal and will describe their struggle for truth and justice.

Most victims had an inherited bleeding disorder of hemophilia – although the blood of a person did not correct – and were assured that a new blood -sling product, which is known as a factor VIII, would give them a better chance of a normal life.

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Instead, they were infected with life -threatening diseases such as HIV and hepatitis C by contaminated blood products from the NHS.

In order to import the lack of factor VIII, 1974, the NHS began to import blood products from America, where the donors were paid. This encouraged her to lie about her medical past.

These imported products were therefore often obtained from high -riskopopulations, including prisoners and people with drug abuse problems. As a result, the blood products were very susceptible to contaminants with fatal viruses and further exacerbated the risks for patients who rely on them for treatment.

By 1976, concerns about the safety of these imported blood products occurred within the NHS. Internal memos and reports have highlighted the potential contamination risks, especially for viruses such as hepatitis C, which are then known as non-A/non-B hepatitis. However, these warnings are largely ignored, so that the distribution of dangerous blood products is not activated.

The British government could not achieve self-sufficiency in blood products, which led to an increased dependence on imported factor VIII concentrate. This product, which comes from large donor pools, carries an increased risk of viral contamination. The failure to remedy these risks effectively lays the stage for the widespread infections that would soon follow.

In 1982 the United States reported on the first death of a man with hemophilia that had been infected by AIDS. Other warnings followed in 1983 in the Lancet and from the WHO, whereby it was found that hemophilia should be warned of the risks.

At this point, Haemophilia Society (THS) released statements that calmed those with bleeding disorders that the factor -VIII treatments were safe. The organization later apologized for these calming, which “is meant well and based on expert advice, is then harmful and wrong for the community”.

The British government and leading clinicians could not observe warnings and did not take suitable measures to switch back to safer products. In the meantime, pharmaceutical companies and clinicians according to THS do not adequately inform the patients about the risks. As chairman of the investigation, Sir Brian Langstaff stood it up to hand over recommendations: “Injustice were done on individual, collective and systematic levels.”

It only took a contaminated sample to infect the entire batch. The heat treatment of the products could reduce the risk, but this would have reduced the profit margins due to the reduced amount of product.

For comparison: Canada, which also received infected blood products, delivered “humanitarian payments” to the victims from the end of the 1980s, and in the 1990s a public investigation was held and compensation was paid. Several organizations and individuals, including the Canadian Red Cross, have also been criminally charged.

A spokesman for the cabinet office said: “This was a horrific tragedy, and our thoughts remain with all those affected. We are clear that justice must be delivered to the victims and have already accepted the moral case for compensation.

“This covers a number of extremely complex topics, and it is correct, we take into account the needs of the community and the far -reaching effects that this scandal had on its life. The government intends to fully react to Sir Brian's recommendations for a more comprehensive compensation after the publication of the final report on May 20, 2024.”

The 2,527-page report of the infected Blood Inquiry published on May 20, which was published last year, found that the scandal could be “largely avoided”, and there was an “omnipresent” cover-up to hide the truth. It identified a “catalog of systemic, collective and individual failures”, which corresponded to an “misfortune”.

Former Prime Minister Rishi Sunak spent a “complete and clear” apology to the victims and said that the publication of the report on the disaster was “a day of shame for the British state”.

In conversation with reporters on a trip to Austria the following day, Mr. Sunak said: “What has happened over decades was a failure on several levels and it is important that yesterday was a day for hearing the community and that it was incredibly long for justice and truth.

“That is why, as prime minister, I rightly apologize to everyone who is affected by this horrific scandal.

“Anyone who reads the report will indeed find it devastating, and I am glad that yesterday a moment for reflection was about everything that happened and their voices were heard, and they received the apology that he rightly deserved.”

When asked whether there should be criminal persecution of those who did wrong in the course of the scandal, Mr. Sunak said: “As I said yesterday, everyone who has indications of misconduct must be given justice and accountability.

“But the report is very long, it is very comprehensive, and I now take the time to go through properly and strictly before I answer in parliament, and of course individual cases will be a matter for the responsible authorities.”

After the publication, some victims of the scandal have taken legal action against the government, with their lawyer claiming that there was “misfortune in the public office”. It was put on hold in November 2018, but was restarted, with around 500 victims putting their name into the lawsuit.

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