The Infected Blood Inquiry
The Infected Blood Scandal is a major calamity that has been hailed as ‘the worst treatment disaster in the history of the NHS’. It all began in the 1970s and early 1990s, after patients were given a new treatment that used donated human blood plasma. These batches were later found out to be contaminated, resulting in the infection and spread of hepatitis and HIV. The Infected Blood Inquiry, initiated in 2017 by the government, aimed to investigate for the truth behind the infected blood scandal and the causes and effects of it on men, women and children. The inquiry report was finally published on May 20 2024, comprising seven volumes.
Who was mainly affected?
Patients who received blood transfusions, such as those with blood disorders like haemophilia, had received the new infected treatment and were one of the main groups of NHS patients that faced the fatal consequences of it. After the first batch of patients in the 1970s, an estimated 1250 people developed both hepatitis C and HIV, with 380 of those being children.
Overall, this involved more than 30,000 people in the UK between the 1970s and early 1990s, and over 3,000 people have died. The fatal consequences of the treatment are still endured by people today, with an infected person estimated to die every four days. Some people also unknowingly passed on HIV to their partners, with AIDs-related illnesses developing later on. As for those who did not have bleeding disorders, they had still been infected with hepatitis C due to the infected blood transfusions. An unknown amount of people were infected with hepatitis C on its own, due to the fact symptoms can take decades to appear.
What does the infected blood inquiry say?
By 1980, the United Kingdom did not implement the 5 health recommendations by the World Health Organisation to maximise blood safety. These infections were caused by a lack of rigorous blood donor selection as a majority of transfusions were being received from prisons in the US, with the knowledge that infection rates were higher amongst prisoners. The inquiry chairman, Sir Brian Langstaff, says there were elements of ‘deception’. Leading clinicians and pharmaceutical companies failed to put patient safety first as they did not share the risks that came with the treatment, if there were any alternatives and whether the patients were infected. As a result, people were infected by causes that were avoidable from the beginning.
How does the government plan to compensate victims?
It has taken many years for those suffering by this scandal to be acknowledged, as no compensation had been paid until 2022. In 2022, the Government had taken up a duty to make interim payments of £100,000 to 4,000 of the infected and the bereaved partners. A final “Infected Blood Compensation Scheme” was published in May 2024, underlining the details on how they will deliver financial compensation to victims that include the infected and affected. However, the Government understands that such an irrevocable mistake that followed with loss and suffering can never be fully compensated.
If you or your loved ones have been affected, learn more here on compensation:
Blog written by: Adelene
Moderated by: Kirah R
References:
https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/health-48596605
https://www.hepctrust.org.uk/find-support/infected-blood-and-blood-products/infected-blood-inquiry/