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02
Oct 2018
Emotional testimonies heard as inquiry into contaminated blood scandal begins
The scandal has been named the worst-ever NHS treatment disaster, when thousands of NHS patients received infected blood products during the 1970s and 1980s.
This first UK-wide public enquiry comes following decades of campaigning by victims who state that they were never notified of the risks and that the scandal was subsequently covered up.
It is believed that around 5,000 patients with haemophilia and other blood disorders were infected with hepatitis and HIV viruses over a period of around 20 years, after being injected with blood products to help their blood clot. As many as 3,000 of these patients have since died.
The treatment, known as clotting agent Factor V111, was introduced in the early 1970s but as Britain was struggling to keep up with demand, supplies were imported from the US. A significant quantity of the blood plasma used to make the product came from donors such as prison inmates.
Although by the mid-1980s a heat treatment was being used to kill the viruses, questions still remain as to how much was known before this time and why some contaminated products were still in circulation.
If this enquiry finds accountability, victims may be entitled to seek large compensation payouts through the courts.
Sir Brian Langstaff, who is heading up the enquiry, said this marked the beginning of something which had been campaigned over for many years. He added that over 100,000 documents had been submitted, with the likelihood of many more to come.
Chadwick Lawrence’s specialist team of clinical negligence lawyers have years of experience in medical negligence compensation claims, and have obtained substantial compensation for our clients. Not only do we represent clients in Yorkshire, but because of our reputation we also represent clients nationally.
If you believe that you or a relative may have been injured as a result of clinical/medical negligence, please call for free legal advice from our medical negligence solicitors on the freephone number below.
Posted by Karen Motley, Paralegal, Clinical Negligence Department, Chadwick Lawrence LLP (karenmotley@chadlaw.co.uk), medical negligence lawyers and clinical negligence solicitors in Huddersfield, Leeds, Wakefield and Halifax, West Yorkshire.
Freephone : 0800 304 738
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