Cambridgeshire infected blood campaigner interview

Sir Brian Langstaff's 2,500-page document, published on May 20, makes harrowing reading. Between 1970 and 1991, an estimated 30,000 people were infected with HIV and hepatitis after receiving contaminated blood and blood products from the NHS. So far, 3,000 people have died, but that number will continue to grow. 

Sir Brian stated that the NHS treatment disaster could have been "largely avoided" and concluded that doctors, the NHS and the government had "repeatedly" failed victims.

He said there had been a "catalogue of failures" which amounted to a "calamity".

Cambridgeshire man Tony Furrugia, who gave evidence at the inquiry, has campaigned for decades to see the huge injustices wrought by the havoc of the infected blood scandal acknowledged by those in power.

Tony gave evidence at the Infected Blood inquiry. (Image: Newsquest)

He never waivered in his determination to see the medical professionals, government ministers, civil servants and the pharmaceutical companies involved admit that mistakes had been made, and in many cases, covered up.

But he also wanted to ensure the deaths of his father and two of his uncles, who died after receiving infected Factor 8 blood products, were recorded correctly in history.

“The infected blood scandal was a catastrophic failure," he said.

"A failure of the NHS, of pharmaceutical companies, doctors, civil servants and MPs.

“This is what we have been saying for decades and after a long hard fight, everyone now knows the truth. The cover up started in the eighties and went on for 40 years. People have to be held to account. People died."

On May 20, he travelled down to London and when the report's findings became clear, he sighed with relief and hugged his fellow campaigners, but admitted afterwards that although it was an “amazing day” it was now time to move on and “put the matter to bed”.

“It has been a long haul and I need to move on with my life now,” he said.

Adding: “Importantly, my father’s death has now been recorded correctly in history. Monday was a good day, a day of reflection, but I am done.”

Tony’s father Barry, who had mild haemophilia, died in September 1986, at the age of 37, after being given infected Factor 8 to treat his haemophilia.

Barry Farrugia died after being contaminated with infected Factor 8. (Image: Tony Farrugia)

He died an agonising death. He suffered physically, mentally and emotionally as the HIV virus ravaged his body. He had also been infected with Hepatitis C. 

Barry’s brothers Victor and David were also haemophiliacs and they died after receiving infected Factor 8.

Victor Farrugia died, aged 63, in 2002, from HIV related causes. David died of Hepatitis C in 2012 at the aged of 69.

We now know that blood and blood products were imported from the US in order to meet NHS demand. 

Much of this imported blood originated from prisoners, alcoholics, sex workers and people living on the streets who were paid for their donations.

Some of the donors were carrying diseases and infections, and, as there were no screening programmes available at this time, Hepatitis and HIV were passed on to thousands of unsuspecting patients undergoing routine treatments.

Tony, who was aged 14 when his father died, later set up an organisation called The Fatherless Generation. Its aim was to recognise those whose lives had been ripped apart by the death of a parent who had been given infected blood or blood products.

Since the publication of the report, there has been much said about compensation for victims and families, but Tony says it is not straightforward and he is still going through the detail.

“There are still lots of question marks," he said.

"Some children lost both parents, so there is still some confusion about who will be entitled to what. Also, there will be no legal funding so I am not sure where that leaves many of us."

Tony says campaigners were never given straight answers and the passage of time means many of those who should have been served justice and compensated are now dead.

"After so many years, the lines are blurred and there are people out there - cancer patients, road traffic victims and kidney dialysis patients who received infected blood transfusions and they are not aware.

“People died not knowing they had been given infected blood. There are still two people per month coming forward and there are undoubtedly still more out there."

Tony says anyone who had a blood transfusion before 1996 should contact their GP and ask for a Hep C test.

“There was no victory on Monday," he says, "but recognition of the truth and my dad and my uncles' deaths being recorded accurately is closure for me.

"This has consumed my life, caused me so much distress and pain, but it should be remembered that my dad only had mild haemophilia...he had a job and family...he was the bread winner...and someone thought it was okay to use him for research and then not own up to the truth when it was clear things had gone terribly wrong."