"Failure of Regulation" cause of Infected Blood Scandal says Dr Tim Howard

Dr Tim Howard, the former chairman of the General Medical Council fitness to practise tribunals, expressed concerns over the role of regulatory failures in several significant incidents, most notably the infected blood scandal. His view was set out in a short letter to The Times at the end of July.

In the letter, Dr Howard pointed out that regulatory failures were not only responsible for the infected blood disaster but also events like the 2008 banking crisis and the case of Dr Harold Shipman. Dr Howard expressed reservations about the excessive nature of regulations in the UK, stating that "we are the most over-regulated society in the western world."

The infected blood scandal is the greatest medical treatment disaster in British history, with 2,900 deaths attributable to Hepatitis C and HIV-infected blood and blood products, according to the most recent data from the Infected Blood Inquiry.

Dr Howard's letter emphasised the balance between "sensible regulation and box-ticking," hinting at the bureaucratic nature of current regulations. He opined that the rise in regulations often leads to an influx of new rules and checkboxes to mark off, diverting professionals from their primary duties.

While his letter to The Times addressed several concerns, the mention of the infected blood scandal is significant.

Howard's acknowledgement is significant for many in the infected blood community but clearly does not go far enough. With abundant evidence of unethical hepatitis experiments and risks knowingly taken, the causes of the infected blood scandal go far beyond regulatory failures. While the brief mention in a letter might have gone unnoticed by many, its message is clear: the regulatory system needs recalibration to prevent future disasters while allowing professionals to fulfil their roles effectively.