´óÏó´«Ã½

Surely this is the hottest news item of the decade? Senior civil servants went to prison for this in France in 1992. This will show the difference in accountability and justice between the UK and France. I sure our chaps have nothing to worry about though, the old boys act will see to that.

All credit to the excellent Susan Watts for the expose of the UK Factor 8 scandal. I've been following this long & sad story in Private Eye, and this up-date from a reliable (&, for once, scientifically literate) presenter is very welcome.
Recent news events have demonstrated that, given the right circumstances, individuals are eminently capable of acts of random, senseless violence, killing tens or hundreds of people. Susan Watts report demonstrates that to truly up the order of magnitude, you need the invovement of a government. Welcome to your idiocracy.

if the haemophiliac was exposed to CJD 6 times as his wife said, how prevalent is CJD among the population?

Sounds very much like charges of negligent homicide should be laid against various individuals in this case.

Great programme, great to see the truth coming out. Well done to everyone who took part in the programme.

The haemophiliacs story was truly outrageous. How can no one be unaccountable for this?

Could those Labour politicos who are pushing the Milliband to stand for Labour leader actually spend a couple of minutes looking at the long view? Who outside of the Westminster Village - I can't believe I've written that - is going to want to vote for that smug sod?

And finally... I think Paul Mason looks just fine without a tie.

Haemophilia

My late husband had severe haemophilia and was infected with HIV when he was approximatly 13 years old. Unfortunatly, even if he had known about the potential contamination he would still have had to take the blood products, he would have died without the Factor Eight, due to his very severe haemophilia. He was diagnosed as having "full blown aids" just before his thirty first birthday, and he commited suicide two weeks later, because he could not bear for his family to see him suffer any longer. He was incredibly brave and suffered a great amount in his 31 years, he is much missed and loved .

one of the best programmes i have seen for a very long time,susan watts presented an excellent and moving piece.i felt the suffering of the people affected was sensitvely and accurately portrayed. will we ever see those powerful and arrogant individuals responsible held to account?

Is Jeremy Paxman enforcing tie compliance over his colleagues?

Thank you Newsnight I hope Government now do the right thing.
It is impossible to understand the government's intransigence on this issue without suspecting a cover-up of politically and morally embarrassing conduct by successive administrations.
In refusing a thorough and transparent investigation into the serious questions raised by the evidence provided by campaigners, the government does itself, but more importantly, those directly affected, and the public, a disservice. Those infected through blood products, their families and friends, the public, and Parliament, are entitled to know what went wrong.

Now the current Secretary of State for the DoH is party to the evidence which has been the foundations of the Accuse document, I feel it is untenable for Patricia Hewitt to come to any other conclusion than that of Taintedblood. For the Government to remain silent in the face of this evidence would be tantamount to perverting the course of justice.

In answer to query about vCJD I think you will find they are already teating donors of blood as a test is now available. Wonder when the "department" will start informing us? Check SEAC website minutes.

The Susan Watts report on tainted blood, blood products, its dubious inadequately checked sources from prison inmates and "trials" in the 1980s was a shocker of a story.

No surprises for "nobody was available for comment but a statement was issued". Well that left me a little unsatisfied, but then i cannot imagine anyone wanting to defend unethical medical practices or explaine it away as incompetence or maladministration of previous govt health departments.
The inquiry into this medical malpractice will hopefully shed some light on this appalling affair and some explainations and even possibly justice for the victims of tainted blood products and its "trials".

My Father in law who was a haemophiliac contracted the HIV virus from factor 8 in late 1983. They were not told immediately which put the entire family at risk. They were advised to accept £20k for a life and told not to tell anyone as the family might be victimised. I welcome the enquiry as a lot of innocent lives have been lost in this medical/Government disaster.

Another mad doctor story? Beware bright eyed people who wear white coats and smile too much. Its because of them we still have railings around graveyards.

Nuclear Power Stations, that now store body parts, might now boast a new Recruitment Motto. 'Our staff never leave'.

Just to balance it up the crazed gun man was not a scientist but a humanist. A student of English who looks like he was driven mad by love.

Gordon's housing casino and mass immigration.. i mean prudent economic rules..begin to show there was nothing long term and sustainable about them?

This was a very moving programme for me, and I am grateful for how sensitive the reporting was and would like to say thank you to the ´óÏó´«Ã½ and Newsnight for bringing this story to the fore and raising the profile of this criminal and sordid affair.

I would also like to thank all the people involved in fighting for the truth over the past 15 - 20 years, your bravery and determination are a great credit to you. I think that the death of my brother knocked all of the fight out of my parents so the fact that you have continued to struggle for the truth means a great deal to me. I am now hopefull that we can all get some answers.

However, if I am honest, I was a little disapointed that the programme wasn't a little more aggressive in its delivery of some of the evidence, I would also have liked more information on the role the pharmaceutical companies played in this outrage. I only hope that the whole truth comes out over the course of this enquiry and the people involved are named and shamed. Lets not kid ourselves, the pharmaceutical companies involved probably made a tidy profit from this whole affair - I would give anything to see them in the dock.

On a personal note to Hayden, Gaynor and Gareth (on the ´óÏó´«Ã½ News at tea time). I was really pleased to see you again after so long, and I am glad that you still appear fit and strong. I can still have fond memories from my childhood of how kind and how much fun you were at various BBQ's and events the support group ran back when I was a youngster.

Thankyou to Newsnight and all those who took part in the report on blood products. Its fantastic to have such an accurate and well presented report on this tradgedy. In light of what was reported I find it hard to understand why there is not more coverage of this story and why it has been successfully buried for so many years. I don't think it's to cynical to say that if something like this can be kept covered for so long then some very powerful people must have been involved and quite likely have a lot to loose by the truth being discovered.

The taintedblood report by Susan Watts was extremely emotive. Thanks to all involved for bringing this issue to the attention of so many, and keeping the fight for justice alive. Far too many people have already died without hearing the truth and without an apology for their deadly infections.
How much longer can the government cover up what at best can only be described as gross negligence?

My recollection of the early 80s (up to at least late '83) are that despite a lot of interest/concern within the research community, many in the practicing medical profession (rather than the research community - and there's a big difference - and though it turned out to be bad for many infected, scepticism was the rule), just didn't know for sure what AIDS was, what the vectors were etc, yet they had to deal with patients' needs.

Watching the programme last night left me uncomfortablly asking how much of what I was watching was 20/20 hindsight.

AN ODE TO TAINTED BLOOD
OR
GET YOUR FACTORS RIGHT
For Many Years the world's been sleeping
And ignored our anguished weeping.
Now Newsnight has told our plight.
For we cannot Factor 8 or 9
We have to inject it through a line
You might think that this is enough
But then our government gave us dirty stuff.
Now many are dead, others are dying.
The rest of us confused and crying.
After many years our patience was worn.
And that's how Taintedblood was born.
Now Newsnight has told you our plight
Petition your M.P. to do what's right.

Hi Folks,
I waould just like to address a couple of points.
There were other products other than factor8, i myself was on cryoprecipitate home treatment which was cumbersome but very safe in comparison. I am a severe haemophiliac and had life saving operations using cryoprecipitate long before ever recieving factorate.
To talk about hindsight being a wonderful thing i would say decisions were made at every stage by the medical profession and the government of the day.
From the early to middle 70's warnings were recieved and government and the medical profession had the ''choice'' to heed the warnings or ignore them, to act or not to act.
Let nobody be under the illusion that the tragedy that hit the haemophilia community and others with bleeding disorders as well as the general public was an act of god or an accident.
''IT WAS PREVENTABLE''

Hi Readers, thanks to all who have supported those of us who are caught up in this sordid mess. Thanks to newsnight for highlighting the plight of those infected and affected by tainted blood. My brother died in 1990 of HIV and I almost lost my life to Hepatitis "C". But for the thoughtfulness and kindness of my liver donor and the donors family, I would not be posting here today. My children were 9, 6, and 5 at the time I was dying of end stage liver disease, through no fault of my own. My crime I was born with Haemophilia.

Iwould like to say thank you to the Newsnight team and all those who took part in this programme. It is so good to get this story out into the open. The people who have suffered deserve to be heard and receive some explanation as to why the tragedy was allowed to happen. I am a haemophilia carrier and have been affected by the tainted blood issue. My cousin died of Aids due to HIV infection through tainted blood products. My son was infected with HIV and hepatitus C as a child and died 10 years ago aged 24. Both were haemophiliacs and innocent victims caught up in this scandal. I thought the Newsnight programme dealt with the issue extremely well. It was well reported and offered a very informative insight into the situation.

I would like to congratulate the Newsnight team and everyone who took part in Newsnight. The programme about the tainted blood products was very well reported and informative. The haemophiliacs who have suffered so much deserve to be heard and find out exactly why this tragedy was allowed to happen.

Iwould like to say thank you to the Newsnight team and all those who took part in this programme. It is so good to get this story out into the open. The people who have suffered deserve to be heard and receive some explanation as to why the tragedy was allowed to happen. I am a haemophilia carrier and have been affected by the tainted blood issue. My cousin died of Aids due to HIV infection through tainted blood products. My son was infected with HIV and hepatitus C as a child and died 10 years ago aged 24. Both were haemophiliacs and innocent victims caught up in this scandal. I thought the Newsnight programme dealt with the issue extremely well. It was well reported and offered a very informative insight into the situation.

The report on the appalling harm done to haemophilia sufferers in the 1970s through to the present day fail explain why people would have behaved as they did. And that probably shows that the same thought process is still alive and well.

Your correspondent failed to place the dreadful infecting of the users of blood products in the context of it being government policy at the time (in the UK and USA) that what we know as HIV and AIDS was something only homosexual people (men and women) were liable to catch. The condition was even known as "Gay Related Immuno-Deficiency" (GRID). Since both governments believed homosexual people were less than human and obsessed about homosexuals "filthy" sexual practices (which some former members of the UK government at the time still speak about from their seats in the House of Lords at every opportunity), which, in their willful ignorance, they thought were the methods of transmission of the diseases, the belief followed that other patients were not at risk. This was followed by many doctors. And by blood products companies who had a large financial interest in believing it, or at least in maintaining that they knew no different.

The ´óÏó´«Ã½'s news bulletins pushed the same propaganda, which was a reason behind the invasion of one such broadcast by protesters.

Please remember that even in 1989 the UK government passed legislation directly against homosexual people, in the most hateful terms.

The most cursory familiarity with the history of the struggle to have AIDS taken seriously would show that the blood products companies were a major obstacle that had to be overcome. Not the least the Red Cross. And it should have been obvious that, as their market was closed down in the USA they would have offloaded their stocks elsewhere.

Those behind the new independent hearings deserve all credit for trying to bring honestly and closure, but it does no credit that backs are turned on those who suffered and died the earliest, and who did most of the work in trying to change the situation, or to what happened to the patients elsewhere who were, in turn given the products eventually diverted from British usage.

When patients' notes are marked "AIDS study", perhaps doctors were trying to prove - when it should have been accepted as obvious - that those other than homosexual patients could have caught AIDS. Many despaired at the task of persuading political masters and their obedient civil servants of that.

Has it been forgotten how huge it was that Princess Diana visited the London AIDs hospice and physically touched the residents?

All the Health Secretaries of the period are still alive, and at Westminster: Baron Fowler, Baron Moore, Kenneth Clarke MP and Baron Waldegrave. Why are they immune from questioning about that horrific episode?

By omitting the entire homophobic side of the story Newsnight denies the validity of gay and lesbian history. One can understand haemophiliacs, and their surviving relatives resenting being connected with homosexuality (not to mention the IV drug abusers, prisoners and the poor of the USA who sold their blood), in addition to their own suffering, but it was the denial of equal humanity, even to the extent of denying that their bodies worked the same as those of other humans, that gave the diseases that infected haemophiliacs the opportunities they needed. And to shun that lesson perpetuates that. Just as the denial of the equal humanity of other races or castes, or the poor, has had the same effect many times before.

Newsnight well done on providing the nation with an excellent documentary on Haemophiliacs who were given contaminated blood during the 1970’s and 1980’s. May I also acknowledge the bravery of all those who appeared on the programme, especially little Colin’s parents. The trauma they must have gone through to relive their young son’s life must have been horrendous.

I do not have Haemophilia but just have this to say. Way back in the 1980’s when our screens were showing grave stones falling down I thought of my friends who were Haemophilic, one of those was David Fielding (see post 21). During that time I had succumbed myself to thinking that he had died as it was being reported that so many Haemophiliacs were being infected with HIV. 30 years passed as we had lost contact and it was only last year that we resumed contact. For me it was like I had seen a ghost, I just could not believe it. David soon told me what had happened to him and I was shocked and disgusted, so much so that I have now given my life in helping with the campaign to get justice for Haemophiliacs caught up in this sordid mess. I too am sincerely grateful to the donor and the donor’s family for giving David his life and feel extremely honoured to have met such a wonderful friend again.

One thing that really puzzles me about all this is how can the Government at the time, claim that they were providing the best medical care when as the Newsnight programme showed that a letter was written warning not to import blood from America. Why was there no question as to the origin of the imported blood? Why was there no question as to why America suddenly stopped using the blood they were importing to the UK? Why why why, there are so many and it is hoped the Independent Public Inquiry, which commenced on 18th April, will answer many questions for those that have been infected and affected by this.

It is a sign of a civilised society that it protects and takes care of its youngest and the weakest. In the case of Haemophiliacs they were let down by the medical profession on both counts; children - and disabled children at that - had their futures taken away from them by those people they should have been able to trust the most. As one of those who gave evidence at the first day of the public enquiry I want to stress two things: firstly it is an utter disgrace and a shame on our country that sick people and widows are having to go through all this in an attempt to make this government acknowledge what is plainly the truth. Secondly, it is about time that people woke up to the longer lasting effects to all of us which are a legacy of what happened - the blood supply in this country is still not safe. For instance, with the advent of CJD we can no longer use our white cell plasma, only the red. Anyone needing white cells will still be receiving a product which comes from paid donors in the United States. All of this was brought about by a futile attempt to save money (look at how much it has cost us to treat the fall-out) and a complete disregard for the lives of the Haemophilia community. We at the pressure group TaintedBlood (www.taintedblood.info)will never rest until all the facts are out in the public domain and the government faces up to its responsibility towards its citizens. I believe that what has happened here is symbolic of what has been going on in the country as a whole for the past twenty years -in that most people here are good people who know the difference between right and wrong but whose lives, views and rights to a decent life have been bulldozed away by a minority who lack all humanity and compassion. Some of us have fought for nearly a quarter of a century to get where we are today and we're not intending to disappear now!
I should like to extend thanks to the Newsnight team for a fantastic, brave programme, and to the many many people who have contacted us since offering their support.

What Right did these people in Government and the Doctors who we trusted think they had to carry out these despicable experiments on anyone let alone helpless innocent little children, and who made the decision to allow these illegal infectivity trials to go ahead?

I want to see Justice done for all those who have been Infected, those who have Died of their infections, and for those who have lost husbands, wives or Children through these cruel, illegal and deadly experiments and I would also like to see all those who took the decisions to use Haemophiliacs for these illegal experiments to be held accountable for the pain, suffering and the deaths they have caused.

important point by #27 that the NHS now depends entirely on paid US donor blood plasma. The British government actually owns a commercial blood company in the US from which it makes a tidy profit. An NHS lab in Scotland was the only unit which continued to supply unpaid donor plasma to the NHS. This is now being closed down by Scotland's government on advice from doctors funded by commercial companies.No lessons have been learned.

Congratulations to Newsnight and especially the people who took part in the story.
Congratulations should also go out to TAINTEDBLOOD.info and all concerned for the hard work and dedication.
I was a twelve year old boy in 1981, suddenly diagnosed with Von Willebrands. The doctors saw fit to 'treat' me with Factor VIII from America whilst knowing I was more than likely going to be infected with either HIV or Hepatitis. I was secretly tested in 1987 without my consent. I did not find out I had Hepatitis C until Dec 2005. All the years that I could have been called in for testing went by and now I am suffering Cirrhosis of the liver.
It is not deemed serious enough to have a public inquiry into this scandalous treatment of Haemophiliacs, yet things like the Lawrence inquiry get full media coverage and money thrown at it left right and centre.
Its a damn shame that the NHS do not clean their wards as well as they clean their closets.
Maybe if 5000 dead bodies were laid out on the lawn of the Commons, then they might sit up and give us all the inquiry we deserve.
Kill a man and you are a murderer, kill 5000 and you are a respected scientist.
Some justice eh??.

Thank you Newsnight for the excellent programme.I am a Haemophiliac who contracted the 3 deadly H's - HIV, Hep B and Hep C through receiving bad blood products. I am so angry as all this could have all been prevented if the warnings were listened to. Every aspect of my life has been affected and I do mean every aspect. I feel that the amount of emotional damage I have experienced is on a par with the physical damage.

I feel I have waited long enough for the justice me and my fellow Haemophiliacs so rightly deserve.

Thank you Newsnight for the excellent programme.I am a Haemophiliac who contracted the 3 deadly H's - HIV, Hep B and Hep C through receiving bad blood products. I am so angry as all this could have all been prevented if the warnings were listened to. Every aspect of my life has been affected and I do mean every aspect. I feel that the amount of emotional damage I have experienced is on a par with the physical damage.

I feel I have waited long enough for the justice me and my fellow Haemophiliacs so rightly deserve.

During an interview this evening (24.04.07) concerning the US deployment of troops in Iraq. Did my ears deceive me or did John Bolton just try to threaten any non-US citizens who exercised their democratic right to question the US deployment in Iraq...?

I'm paraphrasing but I am sure the gentleman said that those people who criticised the US deployment in Iraq should be careful. Or the US will not only withdraw from Iraq but they might just withdraw from other parts of the world. From John Bolton's tone of voice, I could not tell if he was angry at US foreign policy being questioned or just intoxicated on his nations self importance.

Does the man not appreciate, that part of the reason why the US is so appreciated in the Middle East(Iraq) Is the policy of over 20 years attempting to isolate Iran from the Western (US dominated) world.

So I wonder who would suffer the most from a policy of US isolationism...

74 people (Ethiopian & Chinese) killed in Ogaden - but it was not reported on national ´óÏó´«Ã½ Radio or TV on the day of the incident.
15 years of turmoil in Somalia during which time there's been US, UN and now Ethiopian (proxy US) intervention in Somalia.
What's the link between these events?
Most wars are fought over natural resources (diamonds, rutile, oil, water, gold - or good quality agricultural soil).
The extension of so-called 'war on terror' in Somalia is really about access to prospecting rights for oil and gas.
An in-depth and up-to-date investigation please. Break the taboo about this link.

Bolton lost all credibility long ago- there are millions around the world who would jump at the chance of US troops to leave their countries. This is not a threat, or a promise - it is a tantalising lie.

The rather excellent Newsnight programme on Bad Blood was not based on hindsight. It was based upon what the medical profession and Government Ministers KNEW THEN. It's only ourselves that it seems new to now, since some crucial evidence documents have recently been unearthed and released.

We have to wonder what the Government are still withholding? Back in the 70s and 80s, every week, there were internal memoranda, telexes, group-letters and multiple copies of minutes flying around the United Kingdom concerning detailed knowledge on what they knew back then. There were frequent meetings of up to 50 or 60 senior officials and consultant physicians and virologists, meetings on a scale only rivalled by Nazi German’s Wannsee Conference. Physicians and virologists conspired with one another, leaving dark and sinister coded phrases in their minutes. Sound familiar? They plotted as to how they would conduct unethical infectivity tests on infant haemophiliacs, how they would avoid warnings and ignore alternatives.

Don’t be fooled, these so-called doctors and virologists were the very top of their class – they were the country’s best minds and they were not stupid. They were utterly cognizant of the risks and the warnings about hepatitis, HIV and AIDS and they knew a great deal about safer alternatives. Visit (www.taintedblood.info)for a glimpse of some of the damning evidence.

This is disgusting, but it is not the first time it has happened, the Red Cross and Bayer knowingly killed thousands of people doing the same.

If i had been infected with HIV or Hepatitis C from blood products, and the government knew it was infected, thats a death sentence.

I would have found out who knew about it and the people that covered it up, and all those scumbags would have suffered a very painful death.

Just to add, this is just my opinion, not a threat.

As i dont want the men in white coats to come and get me, from the new government - Fixated Threat Assessment Centre, where they can forcibly detaining suspects in secure psychiatric units.
They can legally detain people for an indefinite period without trial, criminal charges or even evidence of a crime being committed and with very limited rights of appeal.

We live in a police state, so you have to be careful what you say or even think.

I had blood transfusions in 1978 and was shocked to be diagnosed with hcv in 2006, I never could recover from the operation felt ill, then went on throughout with not feeling 100% one would say it saved your life but at the time I complained of pain and went to casualty numerous times to be discharged to wait for consultants appointment, finally internal bleeding and infection then needing blood. What amazes me is present goverment attitudes, it is a the bottom of the list with funding and services, the treatment can be cruel causing other illness"S or accelerating present conditions, rather like rubbing salt into a wound,and of course % of cure low in fact 50-50 and in many cases feeling worse than before as far a quality of life, its so callous. Helene

I have haemophilia and HIV and hep c. I also developed aids related cancer. Its a damned disgrace. The bottom line is it could have been prevented. It was money over lives.
All we want is justice but none of these politicians have the backbone to stand up for us. Why should they ruin a good career in politics.
In any other country there'd have been a riot by now.

I have hep c which was given to me in 1984 during an op after given birth to my daughter i was 17 years old at the time.I found out i had the illness around 8 years ago, after reading about the symtoms it all added up.The effects I had been feeling ment i was not imagining my elments as the doctors had said but I was atually ill. After they distroyed my life and my childrens they offered me £20.000 which after 23 years which is around £20 a week. That really makes everything ok they contaminated me, distroy 3 years of my medical records and let me feel that something was not right with myself pysically and mentailly as if i was imagining it. i have recentally been on treatment which did not work, the ditriation of my mind whilst on the treatment and now off it is so significant i find it difficult coping with day to day life were before i have been to uni, i now find it diffucult even writing this. i want someone to take responsibility of what they have done, to appalagise and i want the quaility of life i and my children diserve.