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. |
US, Arab states at odds on truceEuropean leaders hit back at Macron remarkXi Pledges Allegiance to ConstitutionGaps found in battle against climate crisisJilin eyes stable foreign trade growth in 2024Companies in Jinhua established photovoltaic power stations to aid carbon reductionFM mourns Kissinger, hails his contribution to tiesChina's Top Political Advisory Body to Hold Annual Session from March 4 to 11Xi Holds Talks with Belarusian PresidentClimate meet witnesses milestone declarations