MORE than 30,000 people in the UK were infected with HIV and hepatitis C after being given contaminated blood in the 1970s and 1980s. A public inquiry into what has been called the biggest treatment disaster in NHS history will announce its findings today. 6 Demonstrators hold placards calling for all victims to be recognised Credit: AFP 6 Pictures of those that died after receiving infected blood are displayed during a vigil in Parliament Square on May 19, 2024 in London Credit: Getty Victims are set for compensation of least £10billion and an official apology from the prime minister .
Who was given infected blood? Two main groups of NHS patients were affected - people who needed blood transfusions and people with bleeding disorders who needed blood, or blood products, as part of their treatment. People need blood transfusions for a wide variety of reasons, including routine surgery, as a result of childbirth or if they have been in an accident or had an injury where they have lost a lot of blood. Many victims had bleeding disorders, particularly people with the condition haemophilia , a rare genetic condition which means their blood does not clot properly.
People with haemophilia A lack a clotting agent ca lled Factor VIII, while people with haemophilia B don't have enough Factor IX. In the 1970s, a new treatment using donated human blood plasma was developed to replace these clotting agents. Unlike regular blood donations, plasma products such as Factor VIII were often so.
