Two Scottish men with haemophilia are to give evidence at a national independent public inquiry into how the UK blood supply caused thousands to contract HIV and hepatitis C.
Bruce Norval (42) of Fortrose near Inverness and Robert Mackie (57) from the Scottish Borders have both been infected with blood borne viruses through treatment for their haemophilia by the NHS with contaminated blood products.
Both men have been actively campaigning for many years for an inquiry. They now hope that the Archer Inquiry, which was launched in London earlier in the year, will provide an opportunity for the facts of how thousands of people with haemophilia were infected with HIV and or hepatitis C to be brought out.
Bruce Norval, diagnosed as hepatitis C positive in 1990, commented: "At last we will be able to put the significant questions that remain unanswered on public record. I live in hope that a true acknowledgement of the harm this disaster has caused may bring the Government to recognise the inadequacy of its current approach to this most complete of medical disasters "
Bruce has been looking particularly at questions on how and why blood products that carried risks of contamination came to be licensed for use in the UK and how the legislative protections of the time failed.
"I want to know exactly how this took place, over such a prolonged period, and why we were failed so badly by the NHS," he said.
Robert Mackie was infected with HIV and hepatitis C through his NHS treatment and is suffering from serious health problems.
Robert and his wife Alice have spent their time amassing an archive of information about NHS practices and procedures that were used at the time.
“I will be bringing a lot of information with me to the inquiry and I think it will show that there were some shocking practices being undertaken in the NHS at the time. I hope the inquiry will make sure these are followed up.”
The independent inquiry is being chaired by former Solicitor General Lord Archer of Sandwell. Its remit is to investigate the circumstances surrounding the supply to patients of contaminated NHS blood and blood products; its consequences for the haemophilia community and others afflicted; and to suggest further steps to address both their problems and needs and those of bereaved families.
People with haemophilia are the largest identifiable group of people in the UK to have been affected by the contamination of the UK blood supply.
In haemophilia, one of the proteins in the blood that allows it to clot is missing or present at a very low level. This can cause painful and disabling bleeds into the joints and can even be life threatening
Treatment is by injection of the missing protein. However, from the 1970s onwards, the production method for these proteins was to pool the plasma from thousands of donors. The required proteins were then separated out.
However, if some of the plasma donations were infected with viruses, then the entire batch could be contaminated.
While clotting factor concentrates in use now are much safer and are treated to inactivate blood borne viruses, there many people with haemophilia living with the infections of the past who want answers about how and why it happened and reassurance that it cannot ever happen again.
Haemophilia Society chairman, Roddy Morrison commented: “We have been campaigning for an inquiry for the last 19 years. During that time there has never been an opportunity for the patients to speak or for all of the issues to be examined openly.
“In Scotland there was a vote by the health committee last year for an inquiry to be held. However, this was blocked by the health minister Andy Kerr. Now that the SNP is in government, we have high hopes that they will now institute such an inquiry for Scotland and put the full resources of the Government behind it.
“In the meantime, we are deeply indebted to Lord Archer and also to Lord Morris of Manchester for his work in setting this independent inquiry up and hope that now all of the facts will be brought to light.”
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Note to newsdesk
For further information, please contact Haemophilia Society press officer Mark Weaving on 01353 669939
Bruce Norval will be giving evidence on 24 May between 1.30 and 2pm and Robert and Alice Mackie will be giving evidence between 3.10 and 3.40. The hearing will be held at 1 The Abbey Garden, Great College Street, London SW1P 3SE.
Members of the media are welcome to attend. Information about the inquiry can be found at www.archercbbp.com
