Calls have been made for government officials to give new evidence about the infected blood inquiry due to worries about slow compensation payments. Inquiry chair Sir Brian Langstaff chose to gather fresh evidence nearly a year after his last report on the disaster.
Two main NHS patient groups feel this disaster was the NHS's biggest treatment failure. First, those with hemophilia and similar disorders—a rare genetic issue causing their blood not to clot right. Those with hemophilia A have low Factor VIII, while hemophilia B means not enough Factor IX.
In the '70s, a new treatment using human blood plasma aimed to replace these clotting factors. But the batches were full of deadly viruses.
From infected treatments, around 1,250 UK bleeding disorder patients got HIV and hepatitis C, including 380 kids. About two-thirds later died from AIDS-related illnesses. Some passed HIV to partners without knowing.
Sir Brian said there was not enough honesty from the authorities and some "downright deception," like destroying documents. Half-truths meant people did not know the risks of their treatment, nor the available options, or even if they were infected. He stated, "This disaster was not an accident. Infections happened because those in authority—doctors, blood services, and the government—did not make patient safety their first thought."
By October 2024, Chancellor Rachel Reeves shared that the government set aside £11.8 billion for victim compensation. They formed an independent body named the Infected Blood Compensation Authority to oversee payments.
Affected people and their families can both claim compensation for impacts on their lives. These payments are free of tax and do not affect benefits.
Final amounts for each individual depend on five criteria: harm caused, stigma's social impact, effect on independence and private life, care costs, and financial loss.
Sir Brian said, "Calling hearings has not been simple. It speaks to the weight of concerns the inquiry heard repeatedly."
In the '70s, the UK couldn't meet blood-clotting treatment needs, so they imported US supplies. But much of this blood was bought from risky donors like prisons and drug users. Factor VIII was made by pooling plasma from many donors. If one carried a virus, the whole batch was infected.
Blood in the UK wasn't regularly checked for hepatitis C until 1991, 18 months post-virus identification. When did authorities know about infected blood? By the mid-'70s, there were warnings that US Factor VIII had higher infection risks. The UK aimed for blood self-sufficiency but failed, leading to continued NHS use of foreign supplies.
BBC News found evidence kids were infected after clinical trials for new treatments, often lacking family consent. As late as November 1983, the government argued there was no "conclusive proof" HIV transmits via blood, a claim supported by ex-Conservative health minister Ken Clarke before the inquiry.
Other countries faced similar issues, but some—like Finland—stuck to older treatments longer, reducing HIV infections. Sir Brian's inquiry findings criticized UK claims from the '90s that hepatitis C screening started once tech allowed it. He noted 23 other countries—Japan, Finland, and Spain included—began screening before the UK.
In the US, companies that sold infected products settled out of court for millions. Politicians and drug firms faced negligence charges in nations like France and Japan.