Latest news with #TheBritishBloodScandal:PoisonedatSchool
North Wales Chronicle
20-05-2025
- Health
- North Wales Chronicle
The British Blood Scandal: Poisoned at School
The British Blood Scandal: Poisoned at School focuses on the stories of haemophiliac children at the Lord Mayor Treloar School in Hampshire. They were sent to the specialist boarding school with the promise of a 'normal childhood', but instead became victims of secret medical research which left many of them with Hepatitis and HIV. A summary on the Radio Times website adds: "Revealing the true stories of the students of The Lord Mayor Treloar School and Hospital, a place where young haemophiliacs were given Factor VIII, a drug they thought was a cure but was actually a death sentence. "Through deeply personal testimony, this documentary pieces together a story of secret clinical trials, medical negligence and the fight for truth at the heart of the worst medical disaster in NHS history." Of the 122 haemophiliacs who attended Treloar's in the 1970s and 1980s, only around 30 are still alive today. Jo Clinton-Davis, Controller of Factual ITV, said: 'As they continue their fight for justice, the raw truth of how thousands were affected by the 1970s and 1980s infected blood scandal is told by some of the last remaining victims themselves in this emotional documentary. "It's shocking how these men have suffered all these years from something that was covered up and could have been prevented.' Our next film 'The British Blood Scandal: Poisoned at School' is coming to ITV and ITVX at 9pm on the 20th of May! Read about it on our website here - Anna Hall, Executive Producer at Candour Productions, said: 'The British Blood Scandal: Poisoned at School shows the devastating effect first-hand of a lifetime spent unearthing what happened to our survivors when they were just children. "We are so humbled to have worked with the four men in this film who wanted to make this in honour of their school friends who died, so that the truth would finally be told.' As reported by BBC News, in the 1970s and 1980s, more than 30,000 people in the UK were infected with HIV and hepatitis C after being given contaminated blood products. One group that was impacted by this were haemophiliacs, who had rare disorders which meant their blood didn't clot properly. Set your reminders, Tuesday 20th May ITV 9pm (Also available to stream on ITV X) The British Blood Scandal: Poisoned at School 💔💛🖤@chriswardmp @metpoliceuk @sussex_police @HaemoSocUK @UN @EHC_Haemophilia @wfhemophilia @ukhomeoffice @YvetteCooperMP @MoJGovUK @wesstreeting In the 1970s, a new treatment using donated human blood plasma was developed to replace clotting agents in haemophiliacs, but entire batches were contaminated with deadly viruses. An inquiry found that about 1,250 people in the UK with bleeding disorders went on to develop both HIV and hepatitis C, including 380 children. About two-thirds later died of Aids-related illnesses, with some unintentionally passing it onto their partners. Recommended reading: ITV to release documentary about infected blood scandal featuring victims' stories Which blood type is the rarest? How to find out your blood type The best exercise to lower your blood pressure according to new study Another 2,400 to 5,000 people developed hepatitis C on its own, which can cause cirrhosis and liver cancer. BBC News adds: "It is difficult to know the exact number of people infected with hepatitis C, partly because it can take decades for symptoms to appear." A second group of patients were given contaminated blood transfusions after childbirth, surgery or other medical treatment between 1970 and 1991. In total, it is thought around 3,000 people have died due to the infected blood scandal.
Yahoo
20-05-2025
- Entertainment
- Yahoo
How to watch new ITV documentary on British contaminated blood scandal
A new ITV documentary relating to the British contaminated blood scandal will be airing tonight (Tuesday, May 20). The British Blood Scandal: Poisoned at School focuses on the stories of haemophiliac children at the Lord Mayor Treloar School in Hampshire. They were sent to the specialist boarding school with the promise of a 'normal childhood', but instead became victims of secret medical research which left many of them with Hepatitis and HIV. A summary on the Radio Times website adds: "Revealing the true stories of the students of The Lord Mayor Treloar School and Hospital, a place where young haemophiliacs were given Factor VIII, a drug they thought was a cure but was actually a death sentence. "Through deeply personal testimony, this documentary pieces together a story of secret clinical trials, medical negligence and the fight for truth at the heart of the worst medical disaster in NHS history." Of the 122 haemophiliacs who attended Treloar's in the 1970s and 1980s, only around 30 are still alive today. Jo Clinton-Davis, Controller of Factual ITV, said: 'As they continue their fight for justice, the raw truth of how thousands were affected by the 1970s and 1980s infected blood scandal is told by some of the last remaining victims themselves in this emotional documentary. "It's shocking how these men have suffered all these years from something that was covered up and could have been prevented.' Our next film 'The British Blood Scandal: Poisoned at School' is coming to ITV and ITVX at 9pm on the 20th of May! Read about it on our website here - — Candour Productions (@CandourTV) May 16, 2025 Anna Hall, Executive Producer at Candour Productions, said: 'The British Blood Scandal: Poisoned at School shows the devastating effect first-hand of a lifetime spent unearthing what happened to our survivors when they were just children. "We are so humbled to have worked with the four men in this film who wanted to make this in honour of their school friends who died, so that the truth would finally be told.' As reported by BBC News, in the 1970s and 1980s, more than 30,000 people in the UK were infected with HIV and hepatitis C after being given contaminated blood products. One group that was impacted by this were haemophiliacs, who had rare disorders which meant their blood didn't clot properly. Set your reminders, Tuesday 20th May ITV 9pm (Also available to stream on ITV X) The British Blood Scandal: Poisoned at School 💔💛🖤@chriswardmp @metpoliceuk @sussex_police @HaemoSocUK @UN @EHC_Haemophilia @wfhemophilia @ukhomeoffice @YvetteCooperMP @MoJGovUK @wesstreeting — Mark Antony Ward (@Haemosexual) May 14, 2025 In the 1970s, a new treatment using donated human blood plasma was developed to replace clotting agents in haemophiliacs, but entire batches were contaminated with deadly viruses. An inquiry found that about 1,250 people in the UK with bleeding disorders went on to develop both HIV and hepatitis C, including 380 children. About two-thirds later died of Aids-related illnesses, with some unintentionally passing it onto their partners. Recommended reading: ITV to release documentary about infected blood scandal featuring victims' stories Which blood type is the rarest? How to find out your blood type The best exercise to lower your blood pressure according to new study Another 2,400 to 5,000 people developed hepatitis C on its own, which can cause cirrhosis and liver cancer. BBC News adds: "It is difficult to know the exact number of people infected with hepatitis C, partly because it can take decades for symptoms to appear." A second group of patients were given contaminated blood transfusions after childbirth, surgery or other medical treatment between 1970 and 1991. In total, it is thought around 3,000 people have died due to the infected blood scandal.
Daily Mirror
20-05-2025
- Health
- Daily Mirror
Deathly decision to boost profits killed thousands in infected blood scandal
A new ITV documentary reveals the terrible truth about Britain's biggest medical disaster, the infected blood scandal From 1970 until the early 1990s, an estimated 30,000 people across the UK were unknowingly involved in the infected blood scandal that was buried for decades. The story of the "worst treatment disaster" in the history of the NHS is set to be explored in a new documentary, The British Blood Scandal: Poisoned at School, following survivors of the 'hushed-up' scandal, and will detail their battle for the truth and justice. Most victims had hereditary bleeding disorder haemophilia - whereby a person's blood doesn't clot properly - and were reassured that a new blood-clotting product, known as Factor VIII, would give them a better chance at a normal life. Instead, they were infected with life-threatening diseases like HIV and Hepatitis C through contaminated blood products provided by the NHS. In 1974, in an effort to address the shortage of Factor VIII, the NHS began importing blood products sourced from America where donors were paid. This encouraged them to lie about their medical past. These imported products were therefore often sourced from high-risk populations, including prisoners and individuals with substance abuse issues. As a result, the blood products were highly susceptible to contamination with deadly viruses, further exacerbating the risks for patients relying on them for treatment. By 1976, concerns were emerging within the NHS about the safety of these imported blood products. Internal memos and reports highlighted the potential risks of contamination, particularly with viruses like Hepatitis C, then known as non-A/non-B hepatitis. However, these warnings are largely ignored, allowing the distribution of dangerous blood products to continue unchecked. The UK government failed to achieve self-sufficiency in blood products, leading to increased dependency on imported Factor VIII concentrate. This product, sourced from large donor pools, carries a heightened risk of viral contamination. The failure to address these risks effectively sets the stage for the widespread infections that would soon follow. In 1982, the US reported the first death of a man with haemophilia who'd been infected by AIDS. Other warnings followed in 1983 in The Lancet and from the WHO, stating that haemophilia patients should be warned of the risks. At this time, The Haemophilia Society (THS) released statements reassuring those with bleeding disorders that Factor VIII treatments were safe. The organisation later 'apologised unreservedly' for these reassurances, which 'while well-intentioned and based on expert advice, have subsequently been shown to be damaging to the community and false'. The British government, as well as leading clinicians, failed to heed warnings and didn't take appropriate action to switch back to safer products. Meanwhile, as per THS, pharmaceutical companies and clinicians also did not appropriately inform patients about the risks. As chair of the inquiry, Sir Brian Langstaff, put it when handing down recommendations: "Wrongs were done at individual, collective, and systematic levels." It only took one contaminated sample to infect the entire batch. Heat treating the products could have reduced risks, but this would have cut profit margins due to the product quantity being reduced. By comparison, Canada, which also received infected blood products, made 'humanitarian payments' to victims beginning in the late 1980s, and by the 1990s, a public inquiry had been held and compensation paid. Several organisations and individuals, including the Canadian Red Cross, also faced criminal charges. A Cabinet Office spokesperson said: "This was an appalling tragedy, and our thoughts remain with all those affected. We are clear that justice needs to be delivered for the victims and have already accepted the moral case for compensation. "This covers a set of extremely complex issues, and it is right we fully consider the needs of the community and the far-reaching impact that this scandal has had on their lives. The Government intends to respond in full to Sir Brian's recommendations for wider compensation following the publication of the Inquiry's final report on 20 May 2024." The 2,527-page report from the Infected Blood Inquiry, published last year on May 20, found the scandal 'could largely have been avoided' and there was a "pervasive" cover-up to hide the truth. It identified a "catalogue of systemic, collective and individual failures" that amounted to a "calamity". Former prime minister Rishi Sunak issued a "wholehearted and unequivocal" apology to the victims, saying the publication of the report into the disaster was 'a day of shame for the British state'. Speaking to reporters on a trip to Austria the following day, Mr Sunak said: "What has happened over decades has been a failure on multiple levels and it is important that yesterday was a day for the community to be heard, and they have waited an incredibly long time for justice and the truth. "That is why I, rightly as Prime Minister, offered an unequivocal apology to everyone affected by this appalling scandal. The infected, the affected, everyone impacted in the community, they have fought under considerable pressure facing prejudice over many decades. "Anyone reading the report will have found it harrowing, indeed devastating, and I am glad that yesterday was a moment for reflection on everything that has happened, and their voices could be heard and they received the apology that they so rightly deserved." Asked if there should be criminal prosecutions of those found to have done wrong during the course of the scandal, Mr Sunak said: "As I said yesterday, anyone, people, individuals, where there is evidence of wrongdoing, of course there must be justice and accountability for that. "But the report is very long, it is very comprehensive, and what I am committed to is the government will now take the time to go through it properly and rigorously before responding in Parliament, and, of course, any individual cases will be a matter for the relevant authorities.' Following the publication, some victims of the scandal have restarted legal action against the government, with their lawyer claiming there was a "misfeasance in public office". It was put on hold in November 2018 but has been relaunched, with around 500 victims putting their name to the lawsuit.
Scotsman
20-05-2025
- Entertainment
- Scotsman
What time is The British Blood Scandal on ITV? Explained
The British Blood Scandal: Poisoned at School will be broadcast by ITV tonight (May 20) 📺 Sign up to our Arts and Culture newsletter Sign up Thank you for signing up! Did you know with a Digital Subscription to The Scotsman, you can get unlimited access to the website including our premium content, as well as benefiting from fewer ads, loyalty rewards and much more. Learn More Sorry, there seem to be some issues. Please try again later. Submitting... ITV is shining a light on The British Blood Scandal. Poisoned at School is set to premiere on TV. But what time will it be on - and what to expect? A new documentary about the 'worst medical disaster in NHS history' is set to air on TV this evening. Following survivors of the 'hushed-up' scandal, it will detail their battle for the truth and justice. The British Blood Scandal: Poisoned at School is set to be broadcast by ITV and STV in the coming hours. It will reveal the true stories of the students at Lord Mayor Treloar College, many of whom were left with Hepatitis and HIV. Advertisement Hide Ad Advertisement Hide Ad But how can you watch the documentary - and what to expect from it? Here's all you need to know: What time is The British Blood Scandal on TV? The documentary is set to start at 9pm this evening (May 20), the broadcaster has confirmed. It will air on ITV1/ STV and will run for approximately an hour, including adverts. The British Blood Scandal: Poisoned at School. (L-R) Gary Webster, Steve Nicholls, Richard Warwick and Adrain Goodyear at Treloar's school. | ITV Is The British Blood Scandal a true story? The documentary recounts the experiences of a group of men, now in their 50s, who have returned to Lord Mayor Treloar College decades after attending the boarding school in the hopes of having a 'normal childhood' as haemophiliac children. However instead they became victims of medical research at an NHS medical centre based at the college, and blood products which left many of them with Hepatitis and HIV. Advertisement Hide Ad Advertisement Hide Ad They recall how, in the late 1970s, an NHS haemophiliac unit was opened at the college, which meant they and their friends could rapidly receive a revolutionary treatment – Factor VIII – on site. The pupils and their parents thought Factor Concentrates were a miracle cure, but they later discovered they were a death sentence for many and led to the co-infection of around 1,250 haemophiliacs nationwide with HIV and Hepatitis C, and another 2,400 to 5,000 people developing Hepatitis C on its own. Steve Nicholls said: 'I feel like we were groomed to conform, we were given all these fantastic opportunities, that's what we'd focus on. We'd love to play for six or eight hours a day, go sailing, go fishing, come back and hold our arm out for half an hour to have an injection, it was a trade-off and it was the norm most days. We're not talking about having an injection every fortnight, it was most days.' Gary Webster added: 'If you did miss it, sick bay would then report it to your housemaster and you got punished.' Of the 122 haemophiliacs who attended Treloar's in the 1970s and 1980s, only around 30 are still alive today. The men have spent decades fighting for truth and justice and the film follows their journey leading up to the final report of the public inquiry, where they hope for long-awaited recognition of the truth. Advertisement Hide Ad Advertisement Hide Ad Treloar's said: 'We sincerely apologise to our former students and their families who were so devastatingly infected and affected by the infected blood scandal. The treatment by clinicians of pupils at Treloar's in the 1970s and 1980s was unethical and wrong.' ITV is also working on a dramatic series based on the infected blood scandal. Deadline reported last year that BAFTA-winning scribe Peter Moffat is penning the series.
Scotsman
20-05-2025
- Entertainment
- Scotsman
What time is The British Blood Scandal on ITV? Explained
The British Blood Scandal: Poisoned at School will be broadcast by ITV tonight (May 20) 📺 Sign up to our daily newsletter Sign up Thank you for signing up! Did you know with a Digital Subscription to Edinburgh News, you can get unlimited access to the website including our premium content, as well as benefiting from fewer ads, loyalty rewards and much more. Learn More Sorry, there seem to be some issues. Please try again later. Submitting... ITV is shining a light on The British Blood Scandal. Poisoned at School is set to premiere on TV. But what time will it be on - and what to expect? A new documentary about the 'worst medical disaster in NHS history' is set to air on TV this evening. Following survivors of the 'hushed-up' scandal, it will detail their battle for the truth and justice. The British Blood Scandal: Poisoned at School is set to be broadcast by ITV and STV in the coming hours. It will reveal the true stories of the students at Lord Mayor Treloar College, many of whom were left with Hepatitis and HIV. Advertisement Hide Ad Advertisement Hide Ad But how can you watch the documentary - and what to expect from it? Here's all you need to know: What time is The British Blood Scandal on TV? The documentary is set to start at 9pm this evening (May 20), the broadcaster has confirmed. It will air on ITV1/ STV and will run for approximately an hour, including adverts. The British Blood Scandal: Poisoned at School. (L-R) Gary Webster, Steve Nicholls, Richard Warwick and Adrain Goodyear at Treloar's school. | ITV Is The British Blood Scandal a true story? The documentary recounts the experiences of a group of men, now in their 50s, who have returned to Lord Mayor Treloar College decades after attending the boarding school in the hopes of having a 'normal childhood' as haemophiliac children. However instead they became victims of medical research at an NHS medical centre based at the college, and blood products which left many of them with Hepatitis and HIV. Advertisement Hide Ad Advertisement Hide Ad They recall how, in the late 1970s, an NHS haemophiliac unit was opened at the college, which meant they and their friends could rapidly receive a revolutionary treatment – Factor VIII – on site. The pupils and their parents thought Factor Concentrates were a miracle cure, but they later discovered they were a death sentence for many and led to the co-infection of around 1,250 haemophiliacs nationwide with HIV and Hepatitis C, and another 2,400 to 5,000 people developing Hepatitis C on its own. Steve Nicholls said: 'I feel like we were groomed to conform, we were given all these fantastic opportunities, that's what we'd focus on. We'd love to play for six or eight hours a day, go sailing, go fishing, come back and hold our arm out for half an hour to have an injection, it was a trade-off and it was the norm most days. We're not talking about having an injection every fortnight, it was most days.' Gary Webster added: 'If you did miss it, sick bay would then report it to your housemaster and you got punished.' Of the 122 haemophiliacs who attended Treloar's in the 1970s and 1980s, only around 30 are still alive today. The men have spent decades fighting for truth and justice and the film follows their journey leading up to the final report of the public inquiry, where they hope for long-awaited recognition of the truth. Advertisement Hide Ad Advertisement Hide Ad Treloar's said: 'We sincerely apologise to our former students and their families who were so devastatingly infected and affected by the infected blood scandal. The treatment by clinicians of pupils at Treloar's in the 1970s and 1980s was unethical and wrong.' ITV is also working on a dramatic series based on the infected blood scandal. Deadline reported last year that BAFTA-winning scribe Peter Moffat is penning the series. Have you got a story you want to share with our readers? You can now send it to us online via YourWorld at . It's free to use and, once checked, your story will appear on our website and, space allowing, in our newspapers.
