Hep C Discussion Forum

Hmm, seems a litle brief to me, this little "brief".

Perhaps a wee bit short on numbers and shy on data and details, but good that they announce they are "looking into things"! We shall see how the info grows and what more and all is revealed. Dejavu all over again, smacks of the tainted blood scandals in North America(s), that only took decades and decades and decades to partially reveal truths, and or come up with faults and paltry compensations (too little, too late). (On the side - I wonder if ANYONE, any continent, has EVER, truly, thoroughly thrown blood-products such as our historical use of gamma-globulins into the mix for good study!!)

News & Perspective > Reuters Health Information

Britain to Hold Inquiry Into Contaminated Blood Scandal That Killed 2400 - By Reuters Staff - July 11, 2017

LONDON (Reuters) - Britain will hold a public inquiry into contaminated blood supplied to patients in the state-run National Health Service which killed at least 2,400 people, the government said on Tuesday.

During the 1970s and 1980s, blood products supplied to the NHS was contaminated with viruses such as HIV or hepatitis C and infected thousands of people with hemophilia or other bleeding disorders.

There would be a consultation with families of victims to decide what form the "wide-ranging" inquiry would take, a spokesman for Prime Minister Theresa May said.

A report by lawmakers in 2015 said the Department of Health estimated that more than 30,000 people might have been infected with hepatitis C between 1970 and 1991 but just 6,000 had been identified. A further 1,500 were infected with HIV between 1978 and 1985.

The inquiry comes after leaders from all of Britain's main political parties, except the ruling Conservatives, wrote a joint letter to May demanding an investigation into the issue.

"For decades people with bleeding disorders and their families have sought the truth," said Liz Carroll, Chief Executive of The Haemophilia Society.

"Instead, they were told by the government that no mistakes were made while it repeatedly refused to acknowledge evidence of negligence and a subsequent cover up. Finally, they will have the chance to see justice."

 Reuters Health Information © 2017 

Cite this article: Britain to Hold Inquiry Into Contaminated Blood Scandal That Killed 2400 - Medscape - Jul 11, 2017.