World News for Students of English

08-04-2024 15:00

In the 1970s and 80s, thousands of UK hemophilia patients were treated with contaminated blood products supplied by the NHS, the government-funded medical and healthcare service.

The patients subsequently contracted hepatitis C and HIV, and more than 3,000 people died. The treatment was imported from the US and it was called Factor 8 and Factor 9. It was made from blood plasma; however, some of the blood came from high-risk groups like intravenous drug users and prisoners. In 2017, former prime minister Theresa May described the scandal as an appalling tragedy that should never have happened and she ordered an inquiry.

In its second interim report, the Infected Blood Inquiry has ruled that the families of victims should receive a 125,000-dollar interim payout ahead of the final settlement that’s yet to be determined. It follows tireless work from campaigners who’ve been calling on the government to recognize the suffering families have had to endure.

Difficult words: hemophilia (a genetic disorder that affects the body’s ability to stop bleeding), subsequently (after something happened), interim (temporary and intended to be used or accepted until something permanent exists).

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