"Start The Week" Examines The Dark Tale of Factor VIII

The journey of Factor VIII, once sold as a 'miracle treatment' for haemophiliacs, is a stark reminder of how, what the pharmaceutical industry sells as a medical advancement can swiftly turn into a preventable scandal. The story, both heartbreaking and infuriating, came into sharp focus during Monday's "Start The Week" episode on BBC Radio 4.

Listen to the full 42-minute programme here: https://www.bbc.co.uk/programmes/m001rqm1

The episode shed light on a chilling narrative surrounding Factor VIII, as described in "The Poison Line: A True Story of Death, Deception and Infected Blood" by investigative journalist Cara McGoogan. From the early 1970's, Factor VIII was presented by big pharma as a beacon of hope for those with haemophilia, promising them a chance at a more convenient life. Yet, from the outset the product was infecting them with hepatitis and in the 1980s, the same product was infecting its consumers with HIV.

McGoogan's investigation delves deep into a saga of medical negligence driven by corporate avarice and exacerbated by poor government decision-making. For example, when the UK's top epidemiologist said the product should be withdrawn, years before it actually was, nothing was done. Dr Nicol Spence Galbraith, who issued the 1983 warning was not only the UK's leading epidemiologist, he was the only epidemiologist to provide professional advice to the government.

Shockingly, while other nations have concluded investigations, compensated victims, and penalised the guilty, the UK remains a stark outlier. Here, the victims and their families continue their agonising wait for justice even four decades later. Factor 8's founder, Jason Evans joins the programme to talk about his experience in losing his father and campaigning. At just four, he lost his father to HIV infected Factor VIII. His adult life has been a quest for truth and accountability. Evans, and thousands of others now await the public inquiry's findings, with the final report due in March 2024.

Dr Gabriel Scally, a seasoned physician with an extensive background in medical inquiries, also weighed in on the subject. With experiences ranging from the Bristol heart scandal to the Cervical Smear failures in Ireland, Dr Scally advocates for a robust system of clinical governance. He emphasises the necessity of a 'duty of candour' that obliges not only organisations but individual medics to be transparent about medical processes and potential failings.

However, the central question remains: why do such scandals persist? Is there an inherent flaw in the system that makes cover-ups possible and prevalent? Dr Scally explored these questions with host Tom Sutcliffe, delving into whether public inquiries, with all their procedural intricacies, genuinely offer the best pathway to the truth.

BBC Radio 4's episode is a powerful reminder of the continuous need for vigilance, transparency, and accountability in the medical sector. As we await the findings of the Infected Blood Inquiry, one can only hope that the painful legacy of infected blood products becomes a catalyst for meaningful systemic change.