Those affected by contaminated blood in the United Kingdom will receive advances of US$ 266,000

The most urgent cases of those affected in the blood transfusion scandal contaminated blood occurred in the United Kingdom for decades will receive an advance of 210,000 pounds (245,000 euros) in compensation, the British Government revealed this Tuesday.

Transfusions with contaminated blood allegedly infected more than 30,000 people in this country with HIV and hepatitis C between 1970 and 1991, and some 2,900 adults and children died as a result of one of the largest health disasters in the country’s history.

An independent investigation carried out for five years in the United Kingdom by former judge Brian Langstaff, determined, according to findings released yesterday, that the infections and deaths of patients were not a “accident“but they could”been largely avoided”.

In an appearance in the House of Commons (lower), the Secretary of State for the Cabinet Office, John Glen, indicated today that the Government will compensate with advance payments of 210,000 pounds (245,000 euros) to the victims who are still alive, before establish what the final compensation will be.

These first payments will be delivered within a period of 90 days, which will begin this summer, he said, so that “can reach those who need them most urgently.”

Final compensation will be made before next year and will be exempt from some taxes.

Presenting the report’s conclusions yesterday, the former magistrate in charge of the investigation noted that the infected blood disaster “continues to occur” today, since some of the affected patients “they keep dying every week”.

The scandal originated when thousands of people who required blood transfusions and medications for hemophilia in the Public Health System (NHS) were exposed to blood contaminated with HIV, Hepatitis B, C and chronic viral diseases as a result of the lack of analyzes that controlled the donations.

In the 1970s, a new treatment for hemophilia was introduced that required a large amount of blood reserves, forcing the United Kingdom to import it from the United States, where donors – many of them from risk groups such as drug addicts, sex workers and prisoners – received payment for their blood.