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. |
Record storms in California lead to surging deadly fungal infectionsChinese experts help farmers in Cote d'Ivoire achieve bumper harvest of paddy riceUN highlights urgent need for investment in women's economic empowermentAlaska judge finds correspondence school reimbursements unconstitutionalGaza protester, 28, says she'll murder lawmakers at public meetingYemen's Houthis claim launching missile attacks at U.S. commercial vessels, navy warshipsOjeda, Fernández, Freese carry NYCFC to 2Logan Webb goes 7 strong innings and Thairo Estrada homers twice as Giants rout Rays 11Iraq, U.S. resume dialogue on ending U.S.Trump critic Chris Christie exits 2024 U.S. presidential race