LONDON (AP) — British authorities and the country’s public health service knowingly exposed tens of thousands of patients to deadly infections through contaminated blood and blood products, and hid the truth about the disaster for decades, an inquiry into the U.K.’s infected blood scandal found Monday. An estimated 3,000 people in the United Kingdom are believed to have died and many others were left with lifelong illnesses after receiving blood or blood products tainted with HIV or hepatitis in the 1970s to the early 1990s. The scandal is widely seen as the deadliest disaster in the history of Britain’s state-run National Health Service since its inception in 1948. Former judge Brian Langstaff, who chaired the inquiry, slammed successive governments and medical professionals for “a catalogue of failures” and refusal to admit responsibility to save face and expense. He found that deliberate attempts were made to conceal the scandal, and there was evidence of government officials destroying documents. |
Man almost loses leg to sepsis after cut to back of head with barber’s clippersNew video of 'human bear' waving emerges as expert weighs in with verdictHow homeowners are responding to huge insurance premium hikesASEAN summit: Myanmar community asks Parliament to block junta representativesIceland violent volcanic flareGay Games Hong Kong unfazed by potential censorship, organiser saysVOX POPULI: Unlike Taylor Swift, few stars in Japan speak out about politicsClarifications and correctionsClandestine lab found during search for 'dangerous' suspect in violent kidnappingHow homeowners are responding to huge insurance premium hikes