Human tragedy of thousands who caught HIV from contaminated blood

An inquiry has slammed the failings that led to thousands of people being infected with HIV and hepatitis C from prisoners with contaminated blood. The investigation, led by Labour Peer Lord Archer of Sandwell, said the infection of so many people was a "horrific human tragedy."

In the 1970s and 1980s the UK could not produce enough blood supplies, so the NHS bought some from US suppliers who used what became known as "skid row" donors, such as prison inmates, who were more likely to have HIV and Hepatitis C. The donors were paid and often funded their drug habit through the payments.

Nearly 2,000 haemophiliacs have died from exposure to the contaminated blood in what leading medical expert Lord Winston called "the worst treatment disaster in the history of the NHS". Haemophilia is a rare inherited bleeding disorder in which the blood does not clot normally, but the condition can be managed using a clotting chemical. Blood only began to be heat-treated to kill viruses in the mid 80s. Some 4,670 patients who received blood transfusions in the 1970s and 1980s were infected with Hepatitis C, of whom 1,243 were also infected with HIV.

Despite the death toll, successive governments have refused to admit any fault or hold an investigation, forcing this public inquiry to rely on private donors. Lord Archer today recommended a government-administered and backed compensation scheme for those who were affected - money currently available to victims comes from charitable trusts.

Sue Threakall, from the campaign group from Tainted Blood whose husband died after being given contaminated blood, told the BBC: "What we need now is to see some very swift action from the government. "All we have ever wanted is the truth, and some justice."

By Hayley Jarvis for SOS Children