The leader of a public inquiry into a massive UK tainted blood scandal that claimed some 2,400 lives in the 1970s and 1980s has recommended that victims be awarded at least £100,000 in compensation each.

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Brian Langstaff, a retired judge who is presiding over this investigation, which opened in September 2018, advised the government that "an interim payment be made, without delay, to all infected persons and all bereaved partners (...) The amount does not must not be less than £100,000”, or approximately $155,000 Canadian.

Thousands of people with hemophilia had contracted hepatitis C and HIV after receiving blood transfusions from the United States, under the supervision of the NHS, the British public health service.

A representative for victims, attorney Des Collins, welcomed the recommendations.

“While this comes too late for the thousands of people who have tragically died in the years following their infection, it is a welcome development for some of those who are still living with the terrible consequences of this preventable medical error,” he said. he declares.

He added that he was now waiting for the government's response to these recommendations.

The decision to open a public inquiry to shed light on this tragedy was taken in 2017 by the British government.

A previous inquiry concluded in 2009 found that the government should have acted sooner to boost Britain's blood supply and end dependency on imports.

It had resulted in the establishment of a system of compensation for victims but no trial had been undertaken and responsibilities had not been established.

In September 2017, the UK High Court of Justice allowed victims of the scandal to launch a class action claim for damages.