News
BBC Wales finds baby was infected with HIV after top doc ignored own rules
THE latest episode of BBC Wales Investigates – broadcasting on BBC One Wales on Monday, April 15 at 8pm – has found that a 10-month-old baby was infected with HIV after a top doctor ignored their own rules.
When Colin Smith contracted HIV through contaminated blood, his parents’ house was daubed with ‘Aids dead’ and his father was forced to leave his job, the programme – Blood Money – finds.
Now 34 years on from his death from Aids at the age of seven, his family are facing another injustice.
BBC Wales Investigates reporter Wyre Davies has uncovered new evidence that Professor Arthur Bloom, the world-renowned doctor who gave him the infected imported blood product, Factor VIII, broke his own rules to do so.
NHS internal guidelines, written by Prof Bloom’s department, clearly shows that children should not be treated with imported blood because of the serious risk of infection.
“This wasn’t an accident,” said Colin senior, speaking in the programme.
“It could have been avoided.”
“I’m telling you, it was all behind a curtain,” said Colin’s mum, Janet.
“Everything Bloom done was not face-to-face it was behind-the-scenes if you like. What Prof said, what Prof done – we knew nothing about.”
Colin was born with the bleeding condition haemophilia. He was one of around 3,000 haemophiliacs who died after being infected with HIV and other viruses, like hepatitis, in imported blood products in the ‘70s and ‘80s.
These viruses got into the supply chain when high-risk donors, such as drug addicts and prisoners, in countries like the USA were paid to give blood donations. Those products were then bought by the UK.
Another victim, speaking for the first time on condition of anonymity, has kept his HIV condition a secret for almost 40 years.
He’s convinced Prof Bloom kept his HIV diagnosis from him while his wife was pregnant, and even tried to convince the couple to abort the child.
“They explained to us the situation that I was HIV positive and not to tell anyone – that was the biggest thing that hit me. Don’t tell anyone, we don’t want to frighten people. Keep it to yourselves and there’s nothing to be done. There’s no treatment available for it,” they tell the programme.
“I just hope to God it never happens again.”
“I think it’s our duty to tell this story because of the number of us that are already dead.”
BBC Wales Investigates has trawled through hundreds of pages of evidence. These documents show that drugs companies making the blood product Factor VIII, which is used to treat haemophiliacs, were aware of the risks of serious infection from the hepatitis virus as early as the 1970s.
The programme reveals that documents from Immuno AG – a pharmaceutical company which made the Factor VIII product used in the UK – shows senior executives knew products made from USA donors had a higher risk of viral infections, but they said the UK market would accept that risk because it was cheaper.
The programme captures the moment Colin Smith’s parents are shown the document for the first time.
“They weren’t worried about people’s health as far as I’m concerned. You get to a stage when you read things like that, to us it was murder,” said Colin’s mother, Janet.
Another Professor, who was mentored by Bloom and treated patients with infected blood products, told the programme that doctors and companies knew imported blood products carried serious health risks.
Prof Edward Tuddenham said: “If you go on selling a product that you know is potentially deadly just because you made a good profit from it, you’ve obviously rated your profit above the health and actually the life of the people who have been given the product.”
“There was a period when we were exposing patients to clearly horrific risk but we didn’t appreciate them or make the correct calculation of risk- benefit.”
Professor Bloom died in 1992.
The programme also examines the role of the UK Government, as the scandal was emerging, and asks why ministers continued telling the public there was “no conclusive proof” that AIDS could be carried in blood products.
And while victims, and families of victims, wait for compensation, the programme speaks to one woman who has been denied a payout, despite being able to prove she was infected with Hepatitis C through a blood transfusion in 1992 – after a cut-off date previously imposed by the government.
“It’s the recognition,” said Caz Challis. “It’s the not being told you’re not worth it. You don’t count. It’s the justice for the people who have been ignored.”
The infected blood inquiry is due to publish its final report on May 20th.
BBC Wales Investigates: Blood Money will be on BBC One Wales on Monday, April 15 at 8pm. It will also be available to watch on BBC iPlayer from Sunday.
News
Lifeboat crew plucks woman in difficulty from the water
ANGLE All-Weather Lifeboat was requested to launch at 10pm on Sunday night (May 19).
The Coastguard had received a call reporting a female in difficulty in the water off Fort Road, Pembroke Dock.
The Lifeboat launched and began making best speed to the area, arriving on scene just 10 minutes later.
The Police and Ambulance Service also attended and were waiting in Hobbs Point car park.
The Port Authority Pilot Vessel ‘St Davids’ had not long arrived on scene and commenced searching, and members of the Dale Coastguard Rescue Team were on the beach with the first informant conning the Lifeboat on to the approximate position of the casualty.
The crew could hear the casualty screaming, and shortly after she came into view in the Lifeboat’s searchlights.
Heading immediately for her, she began to struggle further and on numerous occasions began to slip below the surface.
Just in time, the crew reached out a boat hook which the casualty managed to grab hold of where she was then floated into the Lifeboat’s man overboard recovery cradle and recovered onboard.
The crew immediately began warming and reassuring the casualty whilst carrying out a thorough casualty care assessment.
The decision was made to redirect all assets to Hobbs Point where the Lifeboat would come alongside.
A few minutes later once secure alongside, the crew were met by members of Dale, Tenby and St Govan’s Coastguard Rescue Teams, Paramedics and Police Officers.
The casualty was safely walked ashore to an awaiting ambulance.
With no further assistance required, the lifeboat and her crew were stood down to return to station where she was readied for further service by 11:45pm.
The RNLI said: “A huge thanks to the crew of the pilot vessel for their quick response and valuable assistance in searching, and to the Coastguard for their direction to the casualty. A fantastic example of multi-agency teamwork!”
News
Paul Davies calls for Withyhedge independent public inquiry
A CALL for an independent public inquiry into the ongoing situation at Withyhedge landfill site has been made by local Senedd Member Paul Davies. Mr Davies made the call in the Senedd Chamber, whilst asking the Cabinet Secretary for Climate Change and Rural Affairs just how bad the situation had to get before the local community could receive some support from the Welsh Government.
Resource Management Ltd (RML), which operates the Withyhedge site has already been issued several Enforcement Notices by Natural Resources Wales and yet local residents are still living with potentially toxic odours and emissions.
Mr Davies said, “Week after week I have stood up in the Senedd Chamber and asked for the Welsh Government to intervene to support the local community. People have complained of coughs, nausea and swollen eyes and yet despite the sympathetic words of Government Cabinet Secretaries, there has been no support forthcoming.”
“The people of Pembrokeshire deserve better and so I’m calling for an independent public inquiry to fully understand why this situation has been so poorly handled and why my constituents have been so badly let down.”
Farming
Simon Hart calls for a Sustainable Farming Scheme that delivers
FURTHER delays to the introduction of new farming subsidies in Wales have met with a cautious welcome.
Following widespread protests from farmers, Welsh Labour Rural Affairs Secretary, Huw Irranca-Davies, has announced the Sustainable Farming Scheme will now be put on hold until 2026.
The decision has been welcomed by former Secretary of State for Wales Simon Hart MP. The candidate for Caerfyrddin says the Welsh government must now work closely with farmers – and not against them.
He said: “We are told this decision shows the Plaid Cymru / Welsh Labour Cooperation administration is listening to farmers concerns. In my opinion, they should have been listening to them from the get-go and these proposals should never have been included by Plaid Cymru as part of their co-operation agreement.
“Whilst I appreciate this pause gives the Welsh government more time to get this vital scheme right, it also prolongs uncertainty in an industry that is at the very heart of our economy.
“We now need to see real progress, with the Plaid Cymru / Welsh Labour cooperators working at pace, alongside people who know the industry, to deliver a scheme that brings real benefits to our farmers.”
After a series of delays, the Sustainable Farming System was meant to come into operation in April 2025.
Rules that meant 10% of land needed to be covered by woodland and 10% earmarked for wildlife habitat caused widespread protests and led to claims that 5,000 jobs could be lost from the industry.
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