ITV has announced that they will be making a drama about the contaminated blood scandal. Thousands of people contracted various blood borne diseases. Many have died. So far no compensation has been paid. Hopes are high now that ITV are producing a drama about it.
During the 1970s and 80s up to 1250 people including many children contracted HIV from contaminated blood products. At that time the blood clotting Factor VIII was made from donated blood from people infected with HIV with no checks or precautions.
In addition about 30,000 NHS patients contracted Hepatitis C from contaminated blood. Up to 2050 people died of liver failure or liver cancer as a result. There is currently an enquiry which started in 2018 and is still carrying on to determine what happened in detail.
The contaminated blood entered the UK from prisoners and other at risk groups in the USA who were being paid to donate blood.
So far no compensation has been paid. There have been interim payments but with some iniquities. Children and siblings of victims have been ignored. Laura Palmer lost both her parents to AIDS when she was nine years old. So far people in this category have been ignored.
Following the rapid action on behalf of victims of the Post Office Horizon scandal following the success of Mr Bates Vs the Post Office ITV drama, people affected by the blood scandal are hoping for a speedy resolution.