Contamination

Between 1970 and the early 1990s, more than 30,000 NHS patients were given blood transfusions, or treatments which used blood products, which were contaminated with hepatitis C or HIV. Over 3,000 people have died as a result, and thousands live with ongoing health conditions. The Langstaff Inquiry was published in May this year.

"Failures caused this to happen, each on its own is serious. Taken together they are a calamity".

There were "Systemic, collective and individual failures to deal ethically, appropriately, and quickly, with the risk of infections being transmitted in blood, with the infections when the risk materialised, and with the consequences for thousands of families"

"1,250 were infected with HIV. The best estimate is that this included 380 children" "Almost all infected with HIV were also infected with Hepatitis C and some with Hepatitis B and Hepatitis D as well." "Three quarters of these have died"

"A larger number still, (between 2,400 and 5,000 people with bleeding disorders), who were not infected by HIV, received blood products infected with one or more hepatitis viruses, and developed chronic Hepatitis C"

"People who were infected by transfusions, rather than by blood products, were infected in even greater numbers. Between 80 and 100 were infected with HIV after a blood transfusion. Approximately 26,800 were infected with Hepatitis C after a blood transfusion"

Needless infections were caused by;-

• Failures in the licensing regime from 1973 in allowing importation and distribution  of contaminated blood products
• Failure to ensure a sufficient supply of Factor 8 concentrates from the plasma of UK donors
• Failing to encourage and finance research into methods of viral inactivation of contaminated factor concentrates 
• Denial of the risks

On & on & on - See  https://www.infectedbloodinquiry.org.uk/sites/default/files/Volume_1.pdf

I posted on my Blog about  "Inquiry Culture Shock - Openness or Cover Up" in May this year. The amount of gross incompetence, cover ups & downright lies just seems to be never ending. I watched "In Cold Blood" last night.

https://www.itv.com/watch/news/in-cold-blood-the-award-winning-documentary-about-the-biggest-clinical-disaster-in-nhs-history/g8g3fsd 

What has led to the situation we seem to be in where people do not admit to any failure or mistake? Where people routinely lie & prevaricate to avoid responsibility? Where people will seemingly do anything, accept any consequences, including serious illness & death, in order not to accept blame & the consequences of their actions or inactions?

Are we as a nation so morally corrupt that we will just let this creeping toxicity happen? 

Why don't heads roll? Why aren't they sacked? If laws have been broken, why aren't they prosecuted? 

Thank goodness for the many brave people who fight for the truth, often at great cost, & often for years.