British authorities concealed contaminated blood scandal for decades
British authorities and the NHS concealed the truth about the tragic contaminated blood scandal for decades, according to a Monday report by the inquiry commission. Errors by officials resulted in the infection of over 30,000 people and the deaths of around 3,000 of them.
It is estimated that in the 1970s and early 1990s, as a result of blood transfusions or the administration of blood products contaminated with the HIV or Hepatitis C virus, over 30,000 British citizens were infected. Due to the tragic error, around 3,000 people died. Many others developed chronic, incurable diseases, reported by major British media such as BBC and The Guardian, as well as the American AP.
Thousands infected, government covered up the case
Former judge Brian Langstaff, chairman of the inquiry commission, sharply criticized successive governments and medical staff for a "catalogue of negligence" and refusal to admit guilt. The commission found that deliberate attempts to hide the scandal, including evidence of document destruction by government officials, were made. The commission was established in 2017. Over the past four years, evidence from more than 5,000 witnesses and over 100,000 documents has been analyzed.
UK Prime Minister Rishi Sunak apologized to the victims and admitted that the report's publication is "a day of shame for the British state."
Sunak promised to rectify this historical injustice and announced that details of a compensation package estimated at £10 billion will be revealed on Tuesday.
Blood contaminated with HIV and Hepatitis C
Many affected individuals suffer from haemophilia, a bleeding disorder. In the 1970s, patients in the UK received a new drug imported from the United States. Some of the plasma used to produce blood products came from high-risk donors, such as prisoners who were paid for donating blood. Mixing plasma from thousands of donations by drug manufacturers meant that one infected donor could contaminate an entire batch.
The report showed that around 1,250 people with blood clotting disorders, including 380 children, were infected with blood products contaminated with HIV. Three-quarters of them died. A further 5,000 people who received blood products developed chronic Hepatitis C. It is estimated that about 26,800 other people were infected with Hepatitis C after blood transfusions, often performed in hospitals after childbirth, surgery, or an accident.
The report has sparked a wave of anger and grief among victims and their families, who have fought for justice for decades. Many of them expressed bitterness over the negligence and cover-ups by the authorities.
The contaminated blood scandal is considered one of the worst scandals in the history of the British health service. The inquiry commission's report is a milestone in pursuing truth and justice for the victims. Its findings are expected to have far-reaching consequences for the UK government, health service, and blood donation sector.
