AI Summary
The article discusses the contaminated blood scandal in the UK in the 1970s and 1980s, which resulted in over 30,000 people being infected and 3000 deaths. The contaminated blood products came from high-risk groups, including people who were incarcerated or paid to donate blood, primarily from the USA due to a shortage of local supplies. The scandal affected individuals with bleeding disorders like haemophilia, resulting in HIV infections. The editorial raises concerns about the potential for a similar scandal to occur in the future and the need for preventative measures to be put in place.
More than 30 000 people in the UK were infected after receiving contaminated blood products in the 1970s and 1980s, resulting in 3000 deaths to date. The contaminated blood products came from high-risk groups, such as people who were incarcerated, who were paid to donate blood, primarily in the USA. Importation was prompted by a shortage of local supplies. Approximately 1250 individuals with bleeding disorders, such as haemophilia, were infected with HIV, and 80–100 individuals were infected with HIV after a blood transfusion.