The public inquiry into the infected blood scandal, deemed the most significant treatment disaster in NHS history, is poised to release its findings today.
From 1970 to 1991, over 30,000 people were infected with HIV and hepatitis C due to contaminated blood products and transfusions. This has resulted in approximately 3,000 deaths, particularly among haemophiliacs who received tainted blood products as part of their treatment.
Prime Minister Rishi Sunak is expected to issue a formal apology on Monday.
Inquiry Findings
Chairman Sir Brian Langstaff will present the findings of the Infected Blood Inquiry, which gathered evidence between 2019 and 2023.
Background of the Scandal
Two primary groups were affected by the scandal:
Haemophiliacs: These individuals, suffering from a rare genetic condition that impedes blood clotting, received treatments made from donated human blood plasma. Unfortunately, batches of Factor VIII and Factor IX treatments were contaminated with deadly viruses, some imported from the US where blood was sourced from high-risk donors like prison inmates and drug users.
Blood Transfusion Recipients: This group includes those who had transfusions following childbirth, accidents, or medical treatments. Although the blood used was not imported, some still contained hepatitis C.
Key Issues Addressed by the Inquiry
The inquiry has focused on several critical issues:
The adequacy of support for victims
Potential governmental or NHS attempts to conceal the truth
Preventative measures, including the possibility of earlier screening implementation
Previous Reports and Compensation
Sir Brian’s interim reports in July 2022 and April 2023 recommended compensation for victims and their families. The government has accepted the “moral case” for compensation, issuing interim payments of £100,000 each to approximately 4,000 survivors and bereaved partners. Final compensation discussions will follow the inquiry’s full report, with costs likely reaching billions.
Political Consensus
Both the Conservative and Labour parties have committed to compensating victims, regardless of the general election outcome later this year. Shadow Health Secretary Wes Streeting and Defence Secretary Grant Shapps agreed that families had been failed “over decades.
Voices from the Campaign
Andy Evans, chairman of the Tainted Blood campaign group and a victim of the scandal, described the report’s publication as a “defining” moment after decades of advocacy. He highlighted how victims were misled by the government, which claimed the treatment was the best available with the best intentions.
Historical and Current Perspectives
The four-year inquiry featured testimonies from victims, their families, and officials, including former Health Minister Lord Clarke and current Chancellor Jeremy Hunt.
Labour’s Dame Diana Johnson, a prominent parliamentary advocate for the victims, expressed that many victims and families felt “apprehensive” and “worried” ahead of the report. She emphasized the persistent struggle for acknowledgment and compensation.
Former Business Secretary Sir Jacob Rees-Mogg remarked on the necessity of state accountability, stating, “If the state has killed people it has got to pay the price.” He criticized the institutional tendency to cover up past mistakes, emphasizing the importance of government transparency and accountability.
Long Road to Inquiry
Campaigners have criticized the prolonged process to initiate a public inquiry. Unlike other countries like France and Japan, where contaminated blood scandals led to timely investigations and criminal charges, the UK faced significant delays. A private inquiry in 2009 and a Scottish investigation in 2015 were deemed inadequate by victims and their families.
Following political pressure, then-Prime Minister Theresa May ordered the current UK-wide public inquiry in 2017. The findings are scheduled to be presented at 12:30 BST.
