Sir John Major, former prime minister, has called the contamination scandal in contaminated blood “incredibly bad luck” and drew gasps from his family as he testified under oath before the public inquiry into the tragedy.
After receiving blood transfusions or treatment on the NHS, up to 30,000 people were infected with HIV/hepatitis C.
Since then, thousands have died.
Sir John later apologized for his language choice.
He stated that he had caused offence by referring to the fact people were being fed infected blood.
“I can only tell people that it wasn’t meant to offend. I was trying to convey my concern about the events.
“It was meant simply to state that it was random and I may have expressed it injudiciously.”
He was present before the inquiry to answer questions regarding the government’s actions and financial assistance to those who were affected by the contaminated-blood incident.
Sir Brian Langstaff, a former judge, presided over the public inquiry into the scandal. Hearings were held in London, Belfast, Leeds and Cardiff in April 2019. It is expected that it will publish its final report by mid-2023.
Questions were raised about what the government knew and how patients were informed.
It was the result of a new treatment that was meant to improve lives.
Factor VIII was a therapy that helped blood clot. It was brought from the United States, where it was extracted from the blood of thousands of people, including prisoners who were often paid to give their blood.
Patients with haemophilia (including many children) were infected along with those who received blood transfusions following surgery.
After being given blood during childbirth, Dame Anita Roddick (founder of Body Shop) contracted hepatitis. In 2007, she died from a brain hemorhage that was linked to the disease.
Campaigners claim that people infected decades ago are dying at a rate of one per four days because of this.
After years of campaigning by victims who claimed that the risks were not explained and that the scandal had been covered up, the UK-wide inquiry was launched.
Sir John Major was not a member of government during the 1970s and early 1980s, when most infected people were treated with contaminated blood product.
However, he held senior positions such as PM and Chancellor when financial support was being discussed for families in the late 80s or early 90s.
Des Collins, from Collins Solicitors who represents some of those affected by the contamination blood scandal, stated: “Apart his ‘bad luck ‘gaffe, Sir John was actually no without sympathy for victims today. His evidence was, however, as balanced as one would expect.
