Families in London affected by the contaminated blood scandal are eagerly anticipating the results of Sir Brian Langstaff’s inquiry on the estimated £10 billion compensation. Global pharmaceutical giants, such as Bayer and Baxter, are facing calls to contribute towards compensating victims, as MPs and campaigners argue that UK victims have been neglected compared to those in other countries.
In London, families affected by the contaminated blood scandal await the findings of Sir Brian Langstaff’s inquiry. Global pharmaceutical firms, including subsidiaries of Bayer and Baxter, face calls to contribute to the estimated £10 billion compensation. MPs and campaigners argue that victims in other countries have received substantial payouts, while UK victims have been largely overlooked.
The scandal, which began in the 1970s, involved blood products contaminated with viruses like HIV and hepatitis C. Approximately 3,000 people died, and 30,000 were infected. Haemophilia patients were particularly affected by the contaminated factor VIII products used to replace a clotting protein.
In other countries, pharmaceutical companies have made significant settlements. In Japan, firms agreed to pay 60% of a settlement worth up to $810 million in 1996. Similarly, they contributed to settlement packages in the US and Germany. However, in the UK, the insistence that patients received the “best available treatment” has historically undermined compensation efforts.
During the inquiry, evidence emerged that drug companies did not adequately warn about the risks, with the earliest product warning identified in 1984. Some of the blood plasma used was sourced from high-risk groups, including prisoners.
Jason Evans, founder of the Factor 8 campaign group, highlighted that commercial blood products should never have been licensed. Bayer expressed deep sympathy and regret for the suffering caused, while Baxter and CSL Behring refrained from detailed comments, citing historical contexts and corporate changes.
MP Diana Johnson underscored the need for pharmaceutical companies to apologize and contribute to the compensation, paralleling international precedents. Victims and campaigners continue to seek accountability and proper redress for the decades-long impact of the scandal.