Since the BBC reported that many people in the UK were unknowingly infected with hepatitis C, the demand for hepatitis C tests has skyrocketed, according to the Hepatitis C Trust. Up to 27,000 individuals were infected with hepatitis C when they were given transfusions with infected blood from the 1970s to 1991. BBC analysis found that a further 1,700 individuals who caught it in the same manner have not yet been diagnosed. Hepatitis can cause chronic liver disease and can be fatal if left untreated.
The Hepatitis C Trust has said that 12,800 people in England have requested NHS home-testing kits in just over a week, compared with 2,300 requests in the entire month of April. “It has been incredible seeing the response from the public as they have become more aware of the risks of hepatitis C,” said Rachel Halford from the charity. The trust has been “inundated with callers across the UK seeking further advice and testing”.
“Some individuals who are unaware of their status must be found, so that they can access simple and effective treatment,” said Rachel Halford. At least £10bn in compensation for those affected by the infected blood scandal will be announced by Chancellor Jeremy Hunt. The announcement is anticipated following the publication of the final report from an infected blood inquiry on Monday, according to the Sunday Times.
The infected blood scandal is the largest treatment disaster in NHS history, with over 30,000 people in the UK infected with HIV and hepatitis C after being given contaminated blood products from the 1970s to the early 1990s. It mostly impacted people with blood disorders such as haemophilia or those who had received blood transfusions. The majority of those affected were obtained from the US and bought from high-risk donors like prisoners and people who abused drugs. Even though hepatitis C was not formally identified until 1989, health officials and NHS staff recognised that this form of hepatitis could be fatal as early as 1980.
If you’re concerned about your health and think you may have had a blood transfusion in the 1970s, 80s or 90s, you can request a free NHS hepatitis C test in England at https://hepctest.nhs.uk. Details are given here if you live in Wales, and in Scotland, you will need to contact your GP
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