The inquiry into infected blood is just the start
Today's report reveals the main failings of the compensation scheme include ministers not listening to victims, leading to 'obvious injustices' that could have been avoided, while compensation delays mean more people will die before they receive any kind of justice. 'Many of you were worried that the fight for justice might not have ended with the publication of the [infected blood scandal] inquiry reported over a year ago,' Langstaff remarked this afternoon. 'Yes, the government announced a compensation scheme and, yes, it is properly funded. But,' he paused, 'just as you feared, this is not the whole story.'
While the latest figures from the Infected Blood Compensation Authority (IBCA) show that over 2,000 people have been asked to begin their claims, only 460 have been compensated in full and 'many, many more have not even been allowed to begin the process'. More than 3,000 people of the 30,000 given contaminated blood products have already passed away. Starmer's government has set aside £11.8bn for compensation and says it is slashing red tape in attempts to speed up payments, but Langstaff insists that mistakes are still being made.
There are horrific stories of injustice that illustrate the flaws in the current compensation scheme. Currently victims have to be asked to apply for payouts, instead of simply putting forward their case themselves. This of course lengthens wait times and can have dire consequences: not only are direct victims of the scandal dying, delays have taken so long that now their families are too. Richard Angell, the chief of the Terrence Higgins Trust – which aims to end new HIV cases by 2030 – described the case of a family whose young son died thirty years ago of Aids-related illnesses caused by infected blood. 'His father now has dementia. It shouldn't be too much for him to receive compensation whilst he can still remember his son.' Meanwhile controversy has erupted over the compensation cut-off date. A mother explains her daughter was invited to claim a payment – before being turned away as she had been infected before 1982. Another patient told the report: 'It feels as if we are waiting to die, in limbo.'
There have been plenty of recommendations put forward by the inquiry. Priority should be given to those who are seriously ill or older, while victims themselves should be able to apply for compensation rather than wait to be asked. The 1982 cut-off date should be pushed back, and extra payment should be awarded to those patients who found themselves victims of experimentation. And, of course, the inquiry chair has called for a more transparent system that better involves all those affected. Labour has so far been defensive on the issue, with Cabinet Office minister Nick Thomas-Symonds denying on Radio 4's Today programme that the government was 'dragging its heels', insisting he had been 'listening to the voice of victims'.
This latest report comes just a day after the publication of the first report from the Post Office scandal. The devastating findings suggest that more than 13 people may have been driven to suicide by the Horizon IT scandal – while at least 59 more contemplated it over one of the UK's worst miscarriages of justice. These inquiries are only the start, however. The level of public anger at these devastating sagas is hard to overstate, and many parliamentarians across the house have constituents with firsthand experiences of these scandals. It is in the government's interests that the road to compensation is a short one – and this is not yet another case of dither and delay.
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The Independent
14 hours ago
- The Independent
US aid cuts halt HIV vaccine research in South Africa, with global impact
Just a week had remained before scientists in South Africa were to begin clinical trials of an HIV vaccine, and hopes were high for another step toward limiting one of history's deadliest pandemics. Then the email arrived. Stop all work, it said. The United States under the Trump administration was withdrawing all its funding. The news devastated the researchers, who live and work in a region where more people live with HIV than anywhere else in the world. Their research project, called BRILLIANT, was meant to be the latest to draw on the region's genetic diversity and deep expertise in the hope of benefiting people everywhere. But the $46 million from the U.S. for the project was disappearing, part of the dismantling of foreign aid by the world's biggest donor earlier this year as President Donald Trump announced a focus on priorities at home. South Africa hit hard by aid cuts South Africa has been hit especially hard because of Trump's baseless claims about the targeting of the country's white Afrikaner minority. The country had been receiving about $400 million a year via USAID and the HIV-focused PEPFAR. Now that's gone. Glenda Grey, who heads the Brilliant program, said the African continent has been vital to the development of HIV medication, and the U.S. cuts threaten its capability to do such work in the future. Significant advances have included clinical trials for lenacapavir, the world's only twice-a-year shot to prevent HIV, recently approved for use by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration. One study to show its efficacy involved young South Africans. 'We do the trials better, faster and cheaper than anywhere else in the world, and so without South Africa as part of these programs, the world, in my opinion, is much poorer,' Gray said. She noted that during the urgency of the COVID-19 pandemic, South Africa played a crucial role by testing the Johnson & Johnson and Novavax vaccines, and South African scientists' genomic surveillance led to the identification of an important variant. Labs empty and thousands are laid off A team of researchers at the University of the Witwatersrand has been part of the unit developing the HIV vaccines for the trials. Inside the Wits laboratory, technician Nozipho Mlotshwa was among the young people in white gowns working on samples, but she may soon be out of a job. Her position is grant-funded. She uses her salary to support her family and fund her studies in a country where youth unemployment hovers around 46%. 'It's very sad and devastating, honestly," she said of the U.S. cuts and overall uncertainty. 'We'll also miss out collaborating with other scientists across the continent.' Professor Abdullah Ely leads the team of researchers. He said the work had promising results indicating that the vaccines were producing an immune response. But now that momentum, he said, has 'all kind of had to come to a halt.' The BRILLIANT program is scrambling to find money to save the project. The purchase of key equipment has stopped. South Africa's health department says about 100 researchers for that program and others related to HIV have been laid off. Funding for postdoctoral students involved in experiments for the projects is at risk. South Africa's government has estimated that universities and science councils could lose about $107 million in U.S. research funding over the next five years due to the aid cuts, which affect not only work on HIV but also tuberculosis — another disease with a high number of cases in the country. Less money, and less data on what's affected South Africa's government has said it will be very difficult to find funding to replace the U.S. support. And now the number of HIV infections will grow. Medication is more difficult to obtain. At least 8,000 health workers in South Africa's HIV program have already been laid off, the government has said. Also gone are the data collectors who tracked patients and their care, as well as HIV counselors who could reach vulnerable patients in rural communities. For researchers, Universities South Africa, an umbrella body, has applied to the national treasury for over $110 million for projects at some of the largest schools. During a visit to South Africa in June, UNAIDS executive director Winnie Byanyima was well aware of the stakes, and the lives at risk, as research and health care struggle in South Africa and across Africa at large. Other countries that were highly dependent on U.S. funding including Zambia, Nigeria, Burundi and Ivory Coast are already increasing their own resources, she said. 'But let's be clear, what they are putting down will not be funding in the same way that the American resources were funding," Byanyima said. ___ ___ For more on Africa and development: The Associated Press receives financial support for global health and development coverage in Africa from the Gates Foundation. The AP is solely responsible for all content. Find AP's standards for working with philanthropies, a list of supporters and funded coverage areas at
Daily Mirror
a day ago
- Daily Mirror
Common food swap linked to 'aggressive' cancer, study finds
Experts found a worrying link when looking at the effects on mice A recent study from China has raised alarm bells over the link between aspartame, a common artificial sweetener, and glioblastoma, the deadliest type of primary brain tumour, reports News Medical. The sweetener is often used in place of sugar, and research published in Scientific Reports, used mouse models to examine into the specific changes aspartame induces in gut bacteria and its subsequent effect on glioblastoma progression. The study suggests that aspartame consumption could foster conditions in the gut conducive to tumour growth. Notably, increased intake of aspartame was associated with a decrease in Rikenellaceae family bacteria levels in the gut, which have been implicated in various health problems including obesity, Parkinson's disease, and HIV. Furthermore, the research identified a link between aspartame use and gene regulation within glioblastoma tumours. Researchers said: "Our findings not only provide critical evidence for evaluating the safety of artificial sweeteners but also offer a comprehensive assessment of their impact on tumour progression. "These insights open new avenues for GBM treatment strategies, including gene-targeted therapies and microbial-based interventions, among others." The team plans to extend their research to further understand the effects of aspartame-induced changes on metabolism and the tumour microenvironment. A previous collaborative report, involving bodies like the International Agency for Research on Cancer, has tagged aspartame as 'possibly carcinogenic'. This categorisation suggests that it might have the potential to cause cancer in humans, although definitive proof is lacking. The report has set the acceptable daily intake of aspartame at 40mg per kilogram of body weight. So a person weighing 80kg should not exceed a daily aspartame consumption of 3.2g. Although this may appear to be a generous limit, aspartame is present in many common products, particularly those branded as 'diet' or sugar-free. For instance, a single can of certain fizzy drinks could contain as much as 200mg of aspartame. Aspartame is also an ingredient in various other products, such as some medications and chewable vitamins. According to experts at ZOE, it's around 200 times sweeter than traditional sugar. Despite assurances of its safety from international regulatory authorities, researchers have been voicing their concerns about aspartame through numerous studies over the years. Yet, a 2019 BMJ review analysing these studies concluded that there were no significant health risks or benefits linked to artificial sweeteners, mainly due to the fact that most studies involved too few participants, were short-term, or were not of high quality. In line with this, a 2022 World Health Organisation review also remarked: "There is (a) suggestion of negative health effects with long-term use, but the evidence is ultimately inconclusive." The 'adverse health impacts' highlighted in the review encompassed issues such as obesity, type two diabetes, cardiovascular disease and even mortality. However, experts from ZOE offered a glimmer of hope: "Entirely avoiding aspartame would be incredibly challenging, and it might not be necessary. A diet with a wide variety of plant-based foods is the healthiest choice. "And it's less healthy to consume high amounts of ultra-processed foods, which are more likely to contain aspartame. So, whenever you can, opt for fresh ingredients, fruits and vegetables, pulses, nuts, seeds, and the like. "Aim to have 30 different plant foods each week. That way, your intake of ultra-processed foods, and therefore aspartame, will naturally decline."
The Herald Scotland
2 days ago
- The Herald Scotland
We used to have hope and compassion. Where did it all go?
The documentary reminded me that, 20 years after Live Aid, there was Live 8 on July 2, 2005, held in eight cities around the globe, including Moscow. That was the time of the Make Poverty History campaign, of the G8 in Gleneagles when world leaders, including Vladimir Putin, signed up to an accord to cancel debt owed by the poorest nations of the world and to boost aid to Africa. It was a time when President George Bush committed $15 billion to the fight against Aids in Africa and the Caribbean, saying that compassion was an American value. Looking at the hopes and aspirations of those times gone by and looking at the world as it is today, all I can ask is: where did it all go wrong? Doug Maughan, Dunblane. Who are they kidding? Who are Prime Minister Starmer and President Macron kidding if they think that their "one in, one out" pilot scheme is 'groundbreaking", will have a 'deterrent effect beyond the numbers actually returned" and will 'finally turn the tables"? At least there was no further mention of the sound bite pipe dream of "smashing the gangs" ('Starmer and Macron detail 'one in, one out' migrant pilot to curb crossings", The Herald, July 11). It is worth noting their scheme is to curb crossings, not stop them. A potential migrant was interviewed on TV this morning and unsurprisingly said it would not deter him. Hundreds come over each week and the risk of being one of those few selected (how?) to be returned is minuscule, and anyway the legal aid lawyers will be queuing up to challenge that selection and appeal again and again against it if necessary. We have huge numbers of migrants coming here to seek asylum through legal routes and that will no doubt continue, but the illegal migrants are paying the trafficking gangs to avoid any scrutiny. How can it be in our national security interests to have thousands of mainly young men, about whom we know little or nothing, dispersed around the country ? When will the Government act on its previous admission that it was its 'duty" to stop, not just curb, these illegal migrants? That will require it to enforce the sovereignty of the UK and its borders by legislating to create the real deterrent that illegal migrants are disqualified automatically, no ifs or buts, from staying here and will be arrested on arrival and held securely until they can be deported back to French waters from where they came. What else can we do to stop this illegal invasion? Alan Fitzpatrick, Dunlop. Read more letters What hope now for Labour? The only way to quiet the Farage foghorn is to turn the narrative away from 'irregular migration' to one of the many, many other pressing, sidelined issues. There are two problems with this. • The predominantly right-wing UK media loves the aggro and lazy one-trick-pony-ness of it as much as Nigel Farage. • It would take real leadership from Keir Starmer (sprinkled with some belief in his own policies) to achieve. Banging on about migration in wholly negative terms while doing precious little to fix the broken system that encourages the exploitation – including even acknowledging the disastrous role of Brexit – is too easy fuel for Reform UK and is lapped up by a swathe of the population, now comfortable in dressing their racism up as patriotism. Angela Rayner, who might contend as a real leader, has just been carpeted by her union for her role in the Birmingham bin strike ("Angela Rayner suspended by Unite union over bin strike", heraldscotland, July 11). I didn't know Angela Rayner ran Birmingham City Council. And anyway, it is high time the major unions – including the ones who keep orchestrating rail strikes – cottoned on that in a country where everything is either privatised or de-facto privatised and the job of a lot of councils is simply working out whose mates to give the contracts to, strikes only actually affect the suffering public who are already paying through the nose for failing and dysfunctional services. With Ms Rayner's wings clipped by an out-of-touch union, what hope is there that Labour leadership can change the discordant tune? At least we've got Keir Starmer's Trump visit to look forward to. Amanda Baker, Edinburgh. Why should we pay for Trump? It is said that the purpose of Donald Trump's visit is to open the new 18 hole-golf course at his resort in the north-east coast at Menie, north of Aberdeen. He is not expected to meet with King Charles in London. For all intents and purposes therefore, the visit is a business trip and the only political elements pertaining to the situation are due to the person making the trip. The trip of 2018 cost the UK taxpayer in the region of £18 million, £5m of which covered time spent in Scotland. Since the purpose of the 2025 trip is to further expand Trump business, why should the UK taxpayer be called to compensate the President for security/transport costs if they are in fact business expenses ("Police seek aid over cost of Trump Scots visit", The Herald, July 11)? The US taxpayer no doubt gazes dumbfounded as their Head of State boards Air Force One for yet another round of golf in warmer climes, but they voted for him. Scotland didn't. Maureen McGarry-O'Hanlon, Jamestown. • Do we really want to see US President Donald Trump in Scotland, pay at least £5 million for his security, and let him promote his golf courses? No, no, no! He's the most obnoxious, arrogant and ignorant numpty ever to inhabit the White House. Our police could instead deal with what really matters in our communities and I would urge our golfers to play different courses. Andy Stenton, Glasgow. • You report the news of a Presidential visit by The Donald this month. The last time around the security bill was many millions of pounds. The numbers of police being taken from their usual duties numbered thousands. In view of his seemingly singular undiplomatic views on all things American and many other countries, it gives way as to how to view the visit. Does one join with a large demonstration, of which there will be many to choose from, or stay at home like the multitude who care nought for him and the ideology he professes? It is a no-win situation for the police and the taxpayer. R Johnston, Newton Mearns. Wind industry is on holiday During this current heatwave when we need electricity for air conditioning the most, I couldn't help but notice the wind industry has gone off on holiday. The entire fleet of thousands of entirely parasitic, demonstrably useless giant wind turbines littering our once-beautiful countryside is barely able to provide the National Grid with 2% – reaching the dizzying heights of 1.46% to be precise. Will we get a refund of the vast annual record-breaking subsidy for poor or non-existent service? George Herraghty, Lhanbryde. Keir Starmer pictured with Emmanuel Macron earlier this week (Image: PA) Drink up, Canada I note Ross Greer's advice to John Swinney to "switch" Scots whisky exports from America to Canada ("'Switch our whisky exports from US to Canada over Trump tariffs'", The Herald, July 11). Looking at this from the perspective of per head of population (335 million versus 40 million) this will require Canadians to increase their whisky consumption by a factor of 8.3. Good luck with that. Another example of sound political logic? Jon Cossar, Edinburgh. McDermid on the warpath Val McDermid has gone on the warpath ("Val McDermid: Politics is an 'absolute cesspit of misogyny'", heraldscotland, July 10). This is intriguing as Ms McDermid is very good friends with Nicola Sturgeon, who almost single-handedly removed the basic rights of all Scottish females to their own private space with her ill-thought-out gender reforms. Are we detecting yet more push-back against the very relevant Supreme Court decision on this matter which pointedly did not support Nicola Sturgeon's position ? You could write a book about all of this. Dr Gerald Edwards, Glasgow. Rough treatment Scotland looked wonderful yesterday (July 10) in the sun at the Scottish Open Golf at the Renaissance Club overlooking the Firth of Forth. The golf was also pretty good, with some Scots in contention and of course the fans behaved impeccably. The only slightly sour note was provided by the two heavies escorting Rory McIlroy, who seemed intent on preventing the young fans touching hands with their hero, shame. I am sure that Rory would not sanction such action. W MacIntyre, East Kilbride. Taps off, please The backdrop to Carol Kirkwood's BBC weather forecast today (July 11) was Battersea Park. The 20-plus fountains were majestically performing in full flow. The previous news item had stressed the need to conserve water due to the current weather. The watery spectacle seemed to contradict the public warning. Lack of communication or a complete disregard for common sense? Either way a prompt turn-off is required. Allan C Steele, Giffnock. Our 45 record Kristy Dorsey's article on the Eastwood Twelve ("The revival of golf at Eastwood: '12 is plenty'", The Herald, July 11) mentions people not wanting to take out the whole day to play 18 holes. Back in the day, three of us regularly played both of Hilton Park's courses, one in the morning and one in the afternoon, followed by nine holes on the shorter Allander course in the evening, only the twilight hours restricting our day's golf to 45 holes. We were known as the lopers, admittedly with no wives and families to be brought into the equation. David Miller, Milngavie. • Samantha Whitelaw, the manager of the 12 -hole Eastwood Golf Course, lists the advantages of the club's limited number of holes compared to the more conventional 18-hole course. As a former "holiday golfer", one of the attractions would be to claim that I could manage a round at my course in fewer than sixty strokes – but only on a good day. Malcolm Allan, Bishopbriggs.
