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.
NBA playoffs: Edwards leads Wolves to 98
After special teams play keyed Rangers' series
Biden condemns antisemitism in Holocaust remembrance speech
CFL's Chad Kelly suspended at least 9 games after investigation into ex
Ben Whishaw lights up the Croisette as he joins his co
New York governor regrets saying Black kids in the Bronx don't know what a computer is
Vladimir Putin is sworn in for his fifth term as president at glittering ceremony in front of hand
US youth prospect Keyrol Figueroa signs pro contract with Liverpool
Apple's biggest announcements from its iPad event: new sizes, faster chips
Hollywood star Shia LaBeouf is spotted on the streets of Gavin and Stacey's hometown Barry
US repatriates 11 citizens from notorious camps for relatives of Islamic State militants in Syria