After decades of fighting, the victims and the families of those whose lives were impacted by the Factor VIII blood contamination scandal could be headed for compensation – of sorts.

London, July 8 (RHC)-- After decades of fighting, the victims and the families of those whose lives were impacted by the Factor VIII blood contamination scandal could be headed for compensation – of sorts.

In one of the darkest periods for Britain’s National Health Service, a shortage of clotting agents for hemophiliacs and those suffering from other blood disorders prompted the country to import blood products from the US.  It later emerged the blood had been distilled from a wide range of people, including prisoners and had been poorly screened.

An investigation led by former judge Sir Brian Langstaff but announced by ex-PM Theresa May back in 2017 is finally approaching its conclusion.  Earlier this month, one of the ministers at the centre of the scandal – John Major was forced to apologize after saying the victims had ‘incredibly bad luck.’  Major had previously written that it was unwise to ‘give a sympathetic view to the victims’ as this might open the government up to culpability. A view that disgusts those still working with patients

Due to medical advances and a more robust fashion in which blood products are screened, the likelihood of another Factor VIII scandal is highly unlikely. But according to experts, the race to weaken the NHS means another health crisis is just around the corner.

Representatives of the current government have pledged to abide by the results and recommendations of the probe but for many of those affected and the loved ones they’ve left behind – anything will be too little, too late.