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. |
Stock market today: Asian shares track Wall Streets rally, led by a 2.4% jump in TokyoTexas ranch hits the market for $4.8 million and is PERFECT for waterpark loversStar Trek reunion! Sir Patrick Stewart dines with longtime coA Greek lawmaker faces criminal charges following a brawl in parliamentSuns guard Grayson Allen aggravates ankle injury vs. Timberwolves. Phoenix falls into 0Hairy Biker Dave Myers 'left £1.4million windfall for his wife Liliana'A Greek lawmaker faces criminal charges following a brawl in parliamentAlexa Chung puts on a leggy display in a sexy silk coNikola Jokic's brother appears to PUNCH a fan in the face after Nuggets' comeback win over LakersBrian Tobin, former president of the International Tennis Federation, dies at age 93