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. |
Winston Peters back in the driver’s seat for coalition negotiationsDenmark to start conscripting women for military serviceGulf Harbour body: Interpol 'black notice' issued one month after mystery discoveryAlec Baldwin waved gun around on Rust film set before fatal shooting, court hearsVideo shows raid on ship near Strait of Hormuz that a Mideast official says was carried out by IranPerson dies after crash in Waipā, WaikatoDeath of 8Up to 300mm more rain forecast for Westland before Thursday nightTamatea rugby matches suspended at park near scene of gun attack on players' vanPerson dies after crash in Waipā, Waikato