Infected blood scandal

I was a student nurse in late 80s and looked after several patients who had been infected by this
It was so sad and infuriating

I dont normally put on a link, but think I will in this case. It is from the BBC website.
www.bbc.co.uk/news/health-48596605

I think I had a transfusion in 1993.
Seems like, from this link, it is up to and including 1991, that there were possible problems?

I think I will maybe check things with my GP next time I am in there.

Thanks for the heads up on all this.
Glad your test was negative.

I lost a lot of blood giving birth in 1985 but refused to have a transfusion because of the known contamination of blood. I also told my husband to refuse on my behalf if I should be incapable. Fortunately I had been looking after myself, had a good blood count and all was well.

I remember feeling really dazed, weak and fuzzy headed a couple of days after my elective section. I told a nurse who gave me the impression she thought I was making a fuss over nothing. Not long after someone came and asked why I hadn't told them I must be feeling unwell as I urgently needed a transfusion. I needed eight units of blood in total. I had no idea about any possible infected blood, I just wanted to feel better to care for my baby....I had honestly thought I was fading away. Compared to my first CS this was so different. Recalling how much blood I had received I feel incredibly lucky as I had become quite worried listening to the recent news.
Thank you for providing the link fancythat. I'm pleased all was well with you GSM.

I had not given this another thought despite 4 blood transfusions between 1973 and 1981 after each of my C sections.
All I know is that I was taken off the blood donors’ register, having given blood regularly since my years as a student.
I won’t let it bother me as I am sure something would have shown up in the last 50 years but 🤞🤞🤞

I too was removed from the donor register RosiesMaw. I was told, when I enquired, it was connected to a "mad cow"......the disease! I have a rare blood type and always wanted to continue.

I am not allowed to donate blood because I had a blood transfusion in early Jan 1980 when I had my first baby and that was when all this contaminated blood was being given.

I was really poorly and felt very ill for most of the next week in hospital. People kept telling me how ill I looked. Fortunately I did improve.

I had an ectopic pregnancy in 1989. It took the ward 3 days to diagnose it - (as I had been sterilised for medical reasons after 2nd DC was born) - and I had been bleeding internally all that time. I was rushed to theatre for surgery and given a blood transfusion... My blood group is rare but I was very lucky that there were the 4 pints I needed in store. Without it I would certainly have died. I am considering having a blood test for Hep C but think HIV/AIDS would have shown up by now. I see there is a campaign advocating reimbursement for all who received transfusions during the time contaminated blood supplies were circulating. I shan't be joining even if I get a Hep C positive result as I would be dead without it.

Yes, blood transfusions certainly saved many lives seadragon. What a scary experience you had. My issue is that they were knowingly using blood products, some of which were contaminated. We were not notified of the dangers when this became apparent for fear of bottlenecking liver clinics. Early treatment for Hep C is vital for the virus to be expelled. Left undetected it remains silent until the liver is irreversibly damaged. This can be decades later. I was concerned not just for me but for my third child who was born two years after my transfusion. I felt it was important to take the test for her sake too. When I spoke to her, relieved after my result, she told me she would have wanted to know if she was affected.
I too will not be joining any compensation scheme, I'm just happy my outcome is good. Had it been otherwise, I may have thought differently in all honesty.

Every Government from Thatcher until today, together with the NHS lied about everything to the 30,000 Britons involved. Another long, drawn-out travesty while many of those deserving justice have died. A compensation package will be announced on 21st May. If the cases of Hillsborough, Grenfell Tower and the Post Office are anything to go by these poor people will wait for years for what they are entitled to and nobody will be brought to book.

Some frightening stories coming out.
My distant cousin from NZ contracted HepC from contaminated blood and was given a one off compensation payment in 2006.
This was enough for her to travel to Europe and do plenty of things on her Bucket list including writing a book.
She stayed with us and explained how she wasn't infectious but nor was she very well.
She died a few years ago.

What a shame our Government has taken so long to get to the stage it has.

Grammaretto

Some frightening stories coming out.
My distant cousin from NZ contracted HepC from contaminated blood and was given a one off compensation payment in 2006.
This was enough for her to travel to Europe and do plenty of things on her Bucket list including writing a book.
She stayed with us and explained how she wasn't infectious but nor was she very well.
She died a few years ago.

What a shame our Government has taken so long to get to the stage it has.

All these major scandals take an obscenely long time for the victims to have their names cleared, compensation paid and a mealy mouthed 'Sorry' muttered in their direction. Nobody ever gets taken to court, those responsible get away scot-free. The sad part is nothing will change when other scandals come to light.

I had a blood transfusion in 1990 just before my daughters were born. I’ve just sent off for a home testing kit for hep C, I’m not too concerned as I think something would have shown up by now but better to be safe than sorry.

Shocking in itself, but even more so to learn of the hubris and collusion between senior medics, the Civil Servants and all stripes of Government since the 1970’s.

Hills borough.
The Post Office cover up.

Its terrifying to realise how we are lied to and manipulated.

It really is terrifying urmstongran. I generally avoid being synical but the outcomes of recent public inquiries makes it difficult .

John Crace:

www.google.com/amp/s/amp.theguardian.com/politics/article/2024/may/20/infected-blood-scandal-prompts-politicians-to-again-say-never-again

Sarnia

Grammaretto

Some frightening stories coming out.
My distant cousin from NZ contracted HepC from contaminated blood and was given a one off compensation payment in 2006.
This was enough for her to travel to Europe and do plenty of things on her Bucket list including writing a book.
She stayed with us and explained how she wasn't infectious but nor was she very well.
She died a few years ago.

What a shame our Government has taken so long to get to the stage it has.

All these major scandals take an obscenely long time for the victims to have their names cleared, compensation paid and a mealy mouthed 'Sorry' muttered in their direction. Nobody ever gets taken to court, those responsible get away scot-free. The sad part is nothing will change when other scandals come to light.

You do get to the point when you wonder " What next?"

So sad for those people affected.

Iam64

It really is terrifying urmstongran. I generally avoid being synical but the outcomes of recent public inquiries makes it difficult .

Dont stop being cynical.
It could save your life or someone else's.

My daughter had extensive spinal surgery to insert rods down her back for scoliosis in the 1990s. The surgeon suggested she donated her own blood in the weeks preop so that he could transfer it through the surgery. He didn't really say why other than it would be better for her.
The consultant haematologist was very cross about this and told me it went against the principles enshrined in the blood transfusion service. I remember arguing with him and the surgeon intervened.
I am so pleased that she was not put at risk of having infected blood. All went well and she recovered with a perfectly straight spine with no complications.

I have ordered a kit last night as I had a transfusion in 1980.

I have no words for this awful NHS scandal 🤨

I just pleased it seems the inquiry was thorough and not mealy mouthed about who was to blame. Whilst the whole debacle was and is appalling, for those who have suffered and still are, they’ve been rightfully acknowledged with the truth.

I remember reading about it when it first came out and went straight out and donated blood. I knew mine wasn't contaminated.
It's those medical researchers that knew what they were doing that really infuriate me. I'm also puzzled how medical ethics could have allowed it. I was grilled by our health board ethics committee before I was allowed to interview subjects for my research. Just to talk to people. How could they have allowed medics to knowingly use contaminated blood?

How the State can close ranks beggars belief and is quite frankly terrifying.