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Former health secretary Lord Fowler told an inquiry that the infected blood scandal ‘could have been avoided’ yesterday.
Thousands of Britons were infected with HIV and hepatitis in the 1970s and 1980s after being treated with contaminated blood products that were cheaply imported from America.
Lord Fowler, health secretary from 1981 to 1987, said there was an opportunity to limit damage caused by stopping the imports prior to him taking office.
He told the Infected Blood inquiry officials should have heeded the advice of Lord Owen, Labour health minister between 1974 and 1976, who wanted the UK’s blood service to become self-sufficient.
Lord Fowler said: ‘By the time I got there in September 1981, it was too late for me to influence the outcome (of imports).
Former health secretary Lord Fowler told an inquiry that the infected blood scandal ‘could have been avoided’ yesterday.
Lord Fowler, health secretary from 1981 to 1987, said there was an opportunity to limit damage caused by stopping the imports prior to him taking office
'If David Owen’s advice had been taken and we’d gone for self-sufficiency as a nation, then much of the ensuing
