Britain | Blood, debt and tears

“A day of shame” for the British state

The biggest scandal in the history of the NHS is at last properly acknowledged

People impacted by the contaminated blood scandal gather in Westminster ahead of the release of the final report.
Recognition, finallyPhotograph: Reuters

DEREK MARTINDALE was 23 in 1985, when he was told that he had HIV and 12 months to live. He survived but his younger brother Richard, who also contracted the virus, did not. After Richard died in 1990 Mr Martindale asked to see his brother’s body one last time but was refused. Such was the fear of AIDS that hospital staff had already stitched closed his brother’s nose, mouth and eyes.

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This article appeared in the Britain section of the print edition under the headline “Blood, debt and tears”

From the May 25th 2024 edition

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