Infected Blood Inquiry: Politicians and doctors
complicit in cover-up leading to thousands of deaths
Hope your following this as well, when it comes to
justice for thousands of people maimed, injured and
died from what UK doctors and politicians did to these
people. UK PM apologizes to them-- a little too late
for so many,
Patients are continuing to die following a cover-up of
the infected blood scandal across the political and
medical system
Rebecca Thomas
,
Tara Cobham
Monday 20 May 2024 17:43 article at link
A chilling and pervasive cover-up by politicians,
doctors and civil servants of the worst treatment
disaster in the history of the NHS has been exposed in
a damning landmark public inquiry.
A 2,000-page report into the “shameful” infected blood
inquiry scandal has accused the government and NHS of a
calamity of failures that left 30,000 patients infected
with HIV and hepatitis. More than 3,000 people have
died due to infected blood, blood products and tissue,
with the number continuing to rise.
In a new horrifying revelation the inquiry, led by Sir
Brian Langstaff, suggested hundreds of people infected
during childbirth may still be living undiagnosed and
unaware - it has recommended patients who might have
had blood transfusions prior to 1996 should be tested
for Hepatitis C.
The long-awaited report, which details decades of
officials hiding the truth, said: “Viewing the response
of the NHS and government, the answer to the question
‘was there a cover-up?’ is that there has been.
“Not in the sense of a handful of people plotting in an
orchestrated conspiracy to mislead, but in a way that
was more subtle, more pervasive and more chilling in
its implications.”
People were infected with HIV and hepatitis C through
contaminated blood and blood products between the 1970s
and early 1990s (Victoria Jones/PA)
People were infected with HIV and hepatitis C through
contaminated blood and blood products between the 1970s
and early 1990s (Victoria Jones/PA) (PA Archive)
It warned that most infections could and should have
been avoided, revealing that the government knew by
1982 that whatever was causing AIDS might be
transmissible by blood products, but continued to use
them into the 1990s.
It was known as early as the 1970s that the virus
responsible for Hepatitis C was responsible for the
majority of post-transfusion infections.
The scandal dates back even further as the inquiry
makes clear it was “well known” from at least the early
1940s that blood transfusions or the use of plasma
could transmit hepatitis.”
A total of 1,250 people with bleeding disorders were
infected with HIV through, around 380 of whom were
children, and up to 6,250 are estimated to have been
infected with Hepatitis C.
At least, 26,800 patients who received blood
transfusions are estimated to have been infected with
Hepatitis C.
Sir Brian said: “In families across the UK, people were
treated by the NHS and over 30,000 were given
infections which were life shattering. 3,000 people
have already died and that number is climbing week by
week. Lives, dreams, friendships, families, finances
were destroyed.
“This disaster was not an accident. The infections
happened because those in authority – doctors, the
blood services and successive governments – did not put
patient safety first. The response of those in
authority served to compound people’s suffering.
“The government is right to accept that compensation
must be paid. Now is the time for national recognition
of this disaster and for proper compensation to all who
have been wronged.”
Dozens of failures by the government and NHS have been
highlighted. They include:
Allowing the importation and distribution from 1973 of
blood products made in the US or Austria which carried
a high risk of causing hepatitis
Teenage young boys being treated “as objects for
research” and infected with HIV and Hepatitis C through
contaminated products
Treating children “unnecessarily” with risky blood
products rather than choosing safer treatments
Deliberate destruction of some documents and loss of
others, including people’s medical records
Falsely reassuring the public and patients that blood
did not carry AIDS, that the risk of AIDS for people
with bleeding disorders was small, that Hepatitis C was
relatively mild and inconsequential
Failing to tell people they were infected or delaying
telling them, sometimes for years
Failing to trace infected patients once universal
screening of Hepatitis C was introduced
Repeatedly using inaccurate and defensive language
which “cruelly” told people that they had received the
best treatment available
Giving too many transfusions when they were not
clinically needed
It found attempts by officials were made to hide the
truth to “save face and save expense” and that the NHS
was directly accused of a “defensive closing of ranks”.
A woman holds a photograph of Marc Payton, who died in
2003 after being mistakenly infected with HIV and
Hepatitis-C while in a children's hospital
A woman olds a photograph of Marc Payton, who died in
2003 after being mistakenly infected with HIV and
Hepatitis-C while in a children's hospital (Getty
Images)
In May 1983 leading epidemiologist Dr Spence Galbraith
wrote a paper, which he sent to the Department for
Health, stating: “I have reviewed the literature and
come to the conclusion that all blood products made
from blood donated in the USA after 1987 should be
withdrawn from use until risk of AIDS transmission from
by these products has been clarified.”
However, during a meeting, the department recorded Dr
Galbraith’s recommendation as premature and unbalanced
and products were not withdrawn at that stage.
By March 1984 all blood products manufacturers in the
US were warning of the risk of contracting AIDS from
using their products.
Lord Kenneth Clarke, who was minister for state at the
Department for Health between 1982 and 1985 and health
secretary between 1989 and 1990, was described as
“blase” in his response to the inquiry about the
collection of blood from prisons in the US as late as
1983.
In September 1983 in the publication of an AIDS donor
leaflet Lord Clarke said: “It has been suggested that
AIDS may be transmitted in blood or blood products.
There is no conclusive proof that this is so.”
This line was repeated in various forms by other
officials, including to the press and in Parliament.
The inquiry has said while “technically correct” the
“no conclusive proof” line was “indefensible” and gave
“false reassurance.”
Victims of the contaminated blood scandal have demanded
former health secretary Lord Clarke apologises for his
“absolutely appalling” behaviour towards the
hemophiliac community.
Speaking to reporters after the publication of an
inquiry’s damning report into the scandal, the group of
victims also said Lord Clarke showed “disdain for the
inquiry itself and its process” when he gave evidence.
The government has been criticised in the report over
its decades long delay in bringing a public inquiry,
with enough evidence of the harm caused to those with
haemophilia as early as 1986.
Victims and families said at a press conference, “there
was a deliberate attempt to lie and conceal - not just
by one person, this was systemic - by government and
public health care officials.”
The inquiry cannot make recommendations for criminal
prosecutions, however families have called for
individual doctors to face clinical negligence
prosecutions.
They said: “There are doctors out there who should have
been prosecuted with gross negligence manslaughter…
those people should have been in the dock… because of
delay (to the inquiry) so many people will not see
justice.”
Patients gave evidence that they were told by their
doctors the risks of them contracting hepatitis were
“relatively unimportant” and those who had bleeding
disorders were told the risk of AIDS was “less
dangerous” than not being treated with “commercial
concentrates” which are blood products made from pools
of donors.
More aboutInfected Blood InquiryNHSHIVHepatitis
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