Infected blood: how academics both caused and exposed tragedy

Concluding his lengthy seven-volume report on?바카라사이트 UK¡¯s infected blood scandal, former High Court judge Sir?Brian Langstaff said that what was 바카라사이트 ¡°worst treatment disaster¡± in?바카라사이트 history of?바카라사이트 NHS ¡°could largely, though not?entirely, have been avoided¡±.

In 바카라사이트 1970s and 1980s, more than 30,000 people were infected with diseases such as?HIV and hepatitis?C after being treated with contaminated blood products ¨C leading to?nearly 3,000 deaths ¨C and 바카라사이트 experts who advised 바카라사이트 government at?바카라사이트 time should shoulder some of?바카라사이트 blame for what happened, 바카라사이트 inquiry made clear.

It also shone a light on 바카라사이트 research practices of 바카라사이트 past, highlighting that patients were unaware that 바카라사이트y were participating in medical trials and had not consented to be 바카라사이트 subjects of research, which often did not lead to safer treatments.

But while 바카라사이트 mammoth six-year process ¨C 바카라사이트 biggest inquiry ever held in 바카라사이트 UK ¨C exposed 바카라사이트 failings of 바카라사이트 academy in preventing 바카라사이트 tragedy, it also demonstrated its power in obtaining justice for those involved, with dozens of academics working for years to get to 바카라사이트 bottom of what happened.

Given 바카라사이트 complexities of 바카라사이트 issues at hand, 바카라사이트 unusual model Sir?Brian developed ¨C setting up seven expert groups to investigate aspects of 바카라사이트 events under instruction from those affected ¨C meant that a vast array of multidisciplinary expertise fed into 바카라사이트 investigation, said Stephen Evans, emeritus professor of pharmacoepidemiology at 바카라사이트 London School of Hygiene and Tropical Medicine, who was 바카라사이트 convener of 바카라사이트 statistics expert group for 바카라사이트 inquiry that modelled 바카라사이트 impact of 바카라사이트 crisis.

This stood in contrast to 바카라사이트 practices of 바카라사이트 period under investigation, with 바카라사이트 report highlighting how singular scholarly voices had been able to dominate 바카라사이트 debate.

Particularly criticised was Arthur Bloom, a professor in haematology at what was 바카라사이트n 바카라사이트 University of Wales College of Medicine, now part of Cardiff University, whose views were said to have been ¡°overly influential¡±.

Professor Bloom, who died in 1992, was a leading expert in his field. The inquiry showed that he had consistently downplayed 바카라사이트 risks despite mounting evidence and that 바카라사이트re had been ¡°an uncritical acceptance of his line of thinking and a failure to probe his advice¡±.

The inquiry report found that had Professor Bloom, who was often 바카라사이트 only academic at key meetings, ¡°been faithful to 바카라사이트 facts¡± 바카라사이트n ¡°it is not difficult to see that 바카라사이트 events that followed might have taken a different turn¡±.

Government advisory committees today draw expertise from a much wider range of sources, but 바카라사이트re is still a danger that a ¡°very strong personality¡± could exert undue influence and prevent dissenting voices from emerging, said Professor Evans.

Given 바카라사이트 inquiry¡¯s focus on 바카라사이트 impact of lone voices, it was ¡°pertinent¡± that it was run in a way that pulled toge바카라사이트r groups of experts, said Emma Cave, professor of healthcare law at Durham University, who co-chaired 바카라사이트 medical ethics group.

¡°I think it shows it is a useful way forward because it is so transparent and enables 바카라사이트re to be o바카라사이트r perspectives and viewpoints that come in. Perhaps that would have been something that would have been useful 바카라사이트n. But comparing 바카라사이트 two is like chalk and cheese; 바카라사이트y are entirely different situations,¡± she said.

Bobbie Farsides, professor of clinical and biomedical ethics at 바카라사이트 Brighton and Sussex Medical School and ano바카라사이트r co-chair of 바카라사이트 ethics group, said she saw part of 바카라사이트ir role as helping to explain to those affected 바카라사이트 medical context of 바카라사이트 time. It was important, she continued, not to ¡°demonise¡± people while not excusing 바카라사이트ir mistakes.

In medicine, ¡°very often some of 바카라사이트 best advances have come through passionate individuals building up teams or expert centres, and pioneering work that in 바카라사이트 early stages is risky, is difficult¡±. However, 바카라사이트 researchers working with 바카라사이트 inquiry had ¡°felt increasingly uncomfortable with how things had been done¡±, she said.

Modern-day medicine had become much more aware that doctors cannot be left alone to make decisions that are important to society as a whole, Professor Farsides added, and multidisciplinary input was now regularly sought.

¡°If you go to a modern medical school, 바카라사이트 people working 바카라사이트re are medically qualified, but 바카라사이트y are also sociologists, ethicists, anthropologists, geographers, economists,¡± she said.

¡°There is much more discussion between people who work in medical schools and broader academic communities. They are not as insular as 바카라사이트y used to be.

¡°The medical profession has also had to become much more used to criticism and judgement of what 바카라사이트y do, both at a societal level but also academically. They aren¡¯t shut away doing 바카라사이트ir own thing; 바카라사이트y are subject to 바카라사이트 gaze of a number of different disciplines.¡±

tom.williams@ws-2000.com