The Government’s announcement of an inquiry into contaminated blood has been welcomed by Rugby’s Member of Parliament, Mark Pawsey MP.
The contaminated blood scandal has seen more than 2,400 people with haemophilia die as a result of contaminated blood transfusions administered during the 1970’s and 1980’s. Tens of thousands of others have contracted diseases such as hepatitis C and HIV. Following years of Parliamentary campaigning and the actions of Tainted Blood, the campaigning group set up to support those given contaminated blood, the Government announced ahead of an emergency debate that a full independent public inquiry will now take place into these events.
During the debate, Mark called for the inquiry to consider the challenges faced by people affected by contaminated blood who want children after this issue was raised by one of his constituents.
Speaking after the Government’s announcement, Mark said:
“The issue of contaminated blood was first brought to my attention by a local resident whose life has been deeply affected by a transfusion of contaminated blood. My constituent was trying to have a child through IVF and the couple were entitled to one round of IVF through the normal procedures, but they applied for a second round. Despite the fact that their fertility was affected by contaminated blood, they were denied a second round of IVF and had to spend £8,000 of their family money in order to conceive a second child.”
Mark continued:
“I hope that the inquiry will consider the wider issues that this tragedy raises, including the challenges faced by those like my constituent. The Government has already done much to help those with contaminated blood, with an additional £125 million committed last July. This has taken the total provided in financial support to over £390 million but it is clear from the stories that I and many of my colleagues have heard that more needs to be done.”
Mark concluded:
“I am therefore very pleased that the Government has done the right thing and will set up an inquiry into how this terrible tragedy was allowed to happen, as well as what more can be done to help survivors and their families.”