What's happened
A landmark report reveals that over 30,000 people in the UK were infected with HIV and hepatitis C in the 1970s and 1980s due to contaminated blood products. The report, led by Brian Langstaff, exposes a chilling cover-up involving politicians, doctors, and civil servants, with deliberate attempts to conceal the disaster. Victims have fought for justice for decades, leading to a public inquiry in 2017. Prime Minister Rishi Sunak is expected to apologize to victims, and the government plans to announce compensation exceeding £10 billion.
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What the papers say
According to The Mirror, the Infected Blood Inquiry report details deliberate attempts to conceal the disaster, with documents destroyed and lives destroyed. The Independent highlights the damning findings of the inquiry, revealing a pervasive cover-up by politicians, doctors, and civil servants. Bloomberg reports on Brian Langstaff's description of the scandal as a 'calamity' with 'systemic, collective, and individual failures' that led to thousands being infected with deadly viruses.
How we got here
The infected blood scandal in the UK dates back to the 1970s and 1980s when over 30,000 people were infected with HIV and hepatitis C due to contaminated blood products. The victims and their families have long sought justice and compensation for the harm caused by this tragic event. The public inquiry, led by Brian Langstaff, sheds light on the failures and cover-up that have plagued this issue for decades.
Common question
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Sir Brian Frederick James Langstaff, styled The Hon. Mr Justice Langstaff, was a judge of the High Court of England and Wales.
He was educated at George Heriot's School, Edinburgh, and then at St Catharine's College, Cambridge.
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The National Health Service is the publicly funded healthcare system in England, and one of the four National Health Service systems in the United Kingdom.