THOUSANDS OF BRITS MAY HAVE ‘SILENT KILLER’ HEPATITIS C AFTER UNSCREENED BLOOD TRANSFUSIONS
In a shocking revelation, it has been discovered that as many as 30,000 people in the UK may have contracted hepatitis C after receiving unscreened blood transfusions. The infected blood scandal, which occurred between 1970 and 1991, has left around 2,000 individuals unaware that they are carrying the disease, which can ultimately lead to cancer.
The Infected Blood Inquiry has brought to light the horrifying fact that patients were given tainted blood infected with HIV or hepatitis without any prior screening. Hepatitis C, often referred to as the ‘silent killer’, initially exhibits few symptoms. However, the longer a person carries the virus, the higher their chances of developing liver cirrhosis and related cancers.
The impact of this scandal is becoming increasingly evident, with a staggering 12,800 people in England alone requesting NHS home-testing kits in just over a week. This is a significant increase compared to the 2,300 requests made in the entire month of April. The gravity of the situation cannot be understated.
The UK’s struggle to meet the demand for blood-clotting treatments led to the importation of supplies from the US. Unfortunately, these supplies included donations from drug users and prison inmates, and blood donations were only screened starting from 1991, a shocking 18 months after the first virus was discovered in a laboratory.
HEPATITIS C: A SILENT KILLER
Hepatitis C is a blood-borne virus that, if left untreated, can have devastating consequences. It has the potential to cause liver cancer and liver failure. The concerning aspect is that it often shows no symptoms until significant damage has already been done to the liver, resulting in liver disease.
In addition to liver-related issues, hepatitis C has also been linked to a range of other health problems. These include fatigue, difficulty concentrating, cardiovascular disease, mental health issues, kidney disease, and musculoskeletal pain. The virus poses a serious threat to the overall well-being of individuals affected by it.
MINISTERS ACCUSED OF COVERING UP THE SCANDAL
The scale of the infected blood scandal is truly horrifying, with an estimated 3,000 deaths attributed to the tainted blood. Shockingly, there have been accusations of a cover-up by ministers. Documents discovered by infected blood campaigners reveal how medical experts likened haemophiliac patients to laboratory chimpanzees.
For individuals with haemophilia, injections were administered under the guise of treatment, without their consent. Roger Newman, a survivor infected with hepatitis A and B as a child, recounts his harrowing experience. He received infected Factor VIII blood products without any discussions or consent from doctors. Out of the severely affected haemophiliacs, Roger is one of the fortunate 20% who are still alive to share their story.
The true extent of the infected blood scandal is only now coming to light, and it is essential that justice is served for all those affected. The victims and their families deserve answers and accountability for the immense suffering they have endured.
Roger and his brother were both infected as children. He revealed that he has carried the “fear and embarrassment” with him since his early years. He was warned not to share any cups or cutlery with others, which made him feel a sense of shame. However, his world came crashing down at the age of 15 when his mother informed him and his brother, who also had severe haemophilia, that they were diagnosed with HIV.
The blood plasma, known as Factor VIII, was sold by pharmaceutical companies and mixed from tens of thousands of paid donors in the US, including prisoners. This shocking revelation has left many in the haemophilia community hoping that the truth will finally come out when the report is published. Kate Burt, chief executive of the Haemophilia Society, described the publication of the report as a significant milestone for people with the blood disorder. However, she also acknowledged that for many, the scandal will never truly end.
