Campaigning in the media

Requests for interviews or comments
Please contact Alan Martin on
0131 295 0019
alan@haemophilia.scot

Over the decades of the contaminated blood campaign has made progress thanks to the bravery of individuals and families who have come forward to tell their story.  Some of this coverage has focused on the experience of affected people in Scotland.  On these pages you can find about more about some of these and other coverage relevant to the unfolding disaster and campaign in Scotland.

The inclusion of coverage on this page should not be taken to imply the involvement of Haemophilia Scotland in any particular story, these links are provided as a resource for anyone interested in the contaminated blood and blood products campaign in Scotland.

2021

• The Scotsman – Compensation for some family members affected by contaminated blood scandal – 25th March 2021

2020

• The Scotsman – Inquiry into contaminated blood scandal hears evidence from Scots medics – 2nd December 2020
• The Herald – Infected blood inquiry: Sir Brian Langstaff criticises late evidence – 1st December 2020
• The National – Blood scandal inquiry to hear from Scots medics – 22nd November 2020
• Daily Record – Top doctor hailed jailed HIV scandal medic as man of ‘high integrity’ – 23rd February 2020
• STV News – Bill Wright and Colette Wintle interviewed about meeting with UK Minister about financial support – 28th January 2020 (with thanks to Tainted Blood)

2019

• The Herald – Blood inquiry: dead teen’s brain taken against family’s wishes – 11 July 2019
• The Herald – Medical records were destroyed, blood probe told – 4 July 2019
• The Herald – ‘Coalition of secrecy’ claim in probe over blood scandal – 3 July 2019
• SKY News – Bill Wright interviewed by Paul Kelso on SKY News – 2 July (with thanks to Tainted Blood)
• STV News – Dan Farthing – Infected Blood Inquiry: Scots victims to give evidence – 2 July
• Sky News – Bill Wright – Infected blood inquiry: Scottish victims hopeful of justice – 1 July 2019
• The National – ‘Harrowing’ evidence to be given as Infected Blood Inquiry sits in Scotland -24 June
• The Herald – How blood-clotting products went from life-savers to deadly carriers of sickness – 24 June
• The Herald – Scots blood scandal: one woman’s fight for justice for her father – 23 June
• The Herald – Tainted blood, the avoidable tragedy – 5th May
• The Scotsman – Lord Owen accused of broken promises over evidence relating to infected blood imports – 23 February
• BBC Radio Scotland – Bill Wright interviewed by Kenneth Macdonald on the John Beattie Show – 11 February (with thanks to Tainted Blood)

2018

• BBC – Bill Wright – New payments for hepatitis C contaminated blood victims – 23 November 2018
• Huffington Post – Infected Blood Inquiry: 10 Important Things We Learned From Opening Hearings – 30 September 2018
• BBC News – BBC News at Six – 25th September 2018 (with thanks to Tainted Blood)
• The Herald – Lawyers for Scots blood scandal victims want answers to why infected products used on NHS – 25 September 2018
• The National – UK HIV and hepatitis blood infection probe under way – 25 September 2018
• BBC Scotland – Scottish government criticised at start of blood inquiry – 25 September 2018
• The Press and Journal – Blood scandal inquiry told it should learn from ‘chilling’ Hillsborough lessons – 25 September 2018 (PA)
• The Guardian – Contaminated blood scandal: many medical records disappeared, inquiry hears – 25 September 2018
• The Independent – Contaminated Blood Inquiry must learn ‘chilling’ lessons of Hillsborough scandal, victim groups say – 25 September 2018
• The Press and Journal – Blood scandal inquiry urged to ‘look into Department of Health’s dark corners’ – 25 September 2018 (PA)
• The Daily Mail – Doctors ‘blamed victims to cover up NHS blood scandal’, labelling innocent patients as ‘drug addicts or alcoholics’ – 25 September 2018
• BBC – Reporting Scotland  interview with Bill Wright -24th September 2018 (with thanks to Tainted Blood)
• BBC Scotland – Contaminated blood: Why a new inquiry after Penrose? – 24 September 2018
• STV – News at Six interview with Bruce Norval – 24th September 2018  (with thanks to Tainted Blood)
• STV –  Blood inquiry hears emotional testimony from victims – 24 September 2018
• The Press and Journal – Contaminated blood scandal worst tragedy to hit NHS, victim says – 24 September 2018 (PA)
• The Press and Journal – Thousands could be infected by contaminated blood scandal, inquiry hears – 24 September 2018 (PA)
• The Press and Journal – Contaminated blood inquiry is ‘a day few thought would come’ – 24 September 2018 (PA)
• BBC Radio Scotland – John Beattie with Andy Gunn – 24 September 2018 (with thanks to Tainted Blood)
• BBC Radio Scotland – Good Morning Scotland 8:37am with Bill Wright – 24 September 2018 (with thanks to Tainted Blood)
• Politics Home – Chris Stephens MP: No liability has ever been admitted in the UK for the contaminated blood scandal – 7 August 2018
• Daily Record – NHS contaminated blood scandal under the spotlight in new book – 29 July 2018
• The National – Fears NHS contaminated blood scandal inquiry will face delays – 12 July 2018
• The Times – Scottish contaminated blood scandal victims have justice in sight – 1 July 2018
• BBC Radio Scotland – John Beattie interviews Andy Gunn – 22 May 2018 (with thanks to Tainted Blood)

2017

• The Scotsman – Tainted blood victims raise fears after Penrose fallout – 11 July 2017
• The Herald – Inquiry to examine deaths of 2,400 people in contaminated blood scandal – 11 July 2017
• BBC Radio Scotland – Drivetime including interview with Bill Wright – 11 July 2017 (with thanks to Tainted Blood)
• BBC One – Reporting Scotland interview with Bill Wright – 11 July 2017 (with thanks to Tainted Blood)
• BBC News – Lessons must be learned in tainted blood inquiry, say campaigners – 14 July 2017
• The Herald – Political leaders in joint call for contaminated blood scandal inquiry – 9 July 2017
• The Herald – Scottish Labour ministers considered fighting blood scandal compensation claims – 1 January 2017

2016

• The Scotsman – Revealed: ministers’ fears over infected blood compensation – 31 December 2016
• The Herald – Concerns over financial aid to blood victims – 30 December 2016
• The Press and Journal – Highland man fighting for justice for blood infection victims welcomes extra financial support – 30 December 2016
• The National – Hundreds of Scots to be compensated in NHS infected blood scandal – 29 December 2016
• STV Evening News – Interview with Bruce Norval and Bill Wright – 29 December 2016 (with thanks to Tainted Blood)
• BBC News – Payments made to infected blood victims in Scotland- 29 December 2016 
• STV News – Interview with Bruce Norval – 9 September 2016 (with thanks to Tainted Blood)
• The Scotsman – Hep C testing drive after blood contamination report – 2 September 2016
• Daily Record – Campaign to trace people at risk of hepatitis C to be carried out in Scotland – 2 September 2016
• The Herald – NHS ‘Bad Blood’s scandal: SNP attacks Westminster over pay-out delay – 31 July 2016
• The Herald – Victims of NHS infected blood disaster accuse UK Government over payment delay -12 June 2016
• The Herald – Government ‘waiting for contaminated blood victims to die’ to avoid payout – 12 April 2016
• Daily Record – £20 million compensation victory for victims of Scottish bad blood scandal – 19 March 2016
• The Herald – Contaminated blood scandal financial package for Scots receives extra £20m – 18 March 2016
• STV News – Scottish £20m funding announcement interviews with Bruce Norval and Bill Wright – 18 March 2016 (with thanks to Tainted Blood)
• STV News – NHS infected blood campaign hails ‘watershed moment’ – 18 March 2016
• BBC News – Payment rise for hepatitis C infected blood victims – 18 March 2016
• The National – First Minister pays tribute to blood scandal victims – 3 March 2016
• The National – Appeal fund launched for memorial to NHS blood scandal victims – 2 March 2016
• The National – Hamish MacDonald: Unanswert questions on a global bluid tragedy – 25 February 2016
• The National – Call for NHS infected blood victims to get cash urgently – 10 February 2016
• The Herald – Contaminated blood scandal financial moves needed urgently, committee told – 9 February 2016
• The National – Infected blood scandal patients were failed by inquiry, support group tells MSPs – 9 February 2016
• The National – English letter shock for Scots hit by contaminated blood scandal – 3 February 2016
• The Herald – Campaigners urge Shona Robison to reject “worrying” new Conservative proposals to support victims of blood scandal – 22 January 2016
• The Herald – Response to contaminated blood scandal continues to be perplexing – 22 January 2016

2015

• The National – Blood scandal victims likely to get bigger payments – 18 December 2015
• The Herald – Review group calls for payments for contaminated blood patients – 17 December 2015
• The Daily Mail – Plea to increase winter fuel payments of contaminated blood scandal victims – 13 September 2015
• The Herald – Victims of contaminated blood scandal accuse David Cameron of ‘betrayal’ over compensation pledge – 16 August 2015
• The Herald – Blood scandal cash review will report in Scotland by Christmas – 22 July 2015
• The Herald – Compensation review needed – 22 July 2015
• The Herald – Time is running out as ministers delay contaminated blood compensation, campaigners warn – 21 July 2015
• STV News – Interview with Bruce Norval –  Monday 20th July 2015 (with thanks to Tainted Blood)
• Daily Record – ‘There are people in desperate need’: Blood scandal victim slams UK government for lack of help – 19 July 2015
• The National – Carolyn Leckie: Light in dark days for victims of NHS blood scandal – 30 March 2015
• The Herald – Revealed: the hidden truth about Scotland’s bad blood inquiry – 29 March 2015
• The Herald – Amends must be made to the victims of the contaminated blood scandal now – 29 March 2015
• The National – Ministers meet with blood scandal victims to discuss compensation – 27 March 2015
• The Courier – Penrose Inquiry: Never again, pledge politicians – 27 March 2015
• The Daily Mail – The biggest disaster in the NHS’s history: 2,000 died after 34,000 were given HIV or hepatitis C through infected blood…but it took 30 years for an apology  – 27 March 2015
• BBC Radio Scotland – The Big Debate – 27 March 2015 (with thanks to Tainted Blood)
• BBC News – Scottish health minister sorry for blood ‘tragedy’ – 26 March 2015
• BBC – Scotland Tonight: The Penrose inquiry makes its report including an interview with Bill Wright – 26 March 2015
• Daily Record – Furious HIV and Hep C blood mix-up campaigners burn report that blames no one for their agony – 26 March 2015
• The National – Contaminated blood victims: ‘After waiting so long we expected so much more’ – 26 March 2015
• The Press and Journal – Highland men reveal devastating effects of blood contamination – 26 March 2015
• The National – Victims’ fury over result of blood inquiry – 26 March 2015
• The Herald – Sturgeon in blood scandal apology – 26 March 2015
• The Herald – Penrose Inquiry: £12m contaminated blood probe branded a whitewash – 26 March 2015
• The Herald – The Penrose Inquiry in hard hitting figures – 26 March 2015
• The Herald – A scandal that is still without end – 26 March 2015
• The Scotsman – Shona Robison promises blood scandal pay review – 26 March 2015
• The Herald – “It wasn’t unfortunate – it was a human disaster” – 26 March 2015
• BBC News – Penrose inquiry: David Cameron apologises over infected blood – 25 March 2015
• BBC News – Penrose Inquiry: Blood victims faced ‘catastrophic pain’ – 25 March 2015
• STV News – The Penrose Inquiry – 25th March 2015 (with thanks to Tainted Blood)
• BBC Radio Scotland – John Beattie interview with Bruce Norval – 25 March 2015 (with thanks to Tainted Blood)
• BBC Politics Scotland – The Penrose Inquiry – 25 March 2015 (with thanks to Tainted Blood)
• BBC Radio Scotland – Good Morning Scotland including an interview with Patrick McQuire – 25 March 2015 (with thanks to Tainted Blood)
• The Press and Journal – Contaminated blood report branded a “whitewash” – 25 March 2015
• Daily Record – Blood scandal: UK and Scottish Government apologise to victims infected with HIV and Hep C and confirms £25 million of support – 25 March 2015
• Daily Record – Inquiry into tainted blood which infected people with HIV and hepatitis C will release its findings – 25 March 2015
• Daily Record – Penrose Inquiry urges Scots to get tested if they received blood products before 1991 and says nothing could have been done to prevent the infections of 3000 people – 25 March 2015
• The Scotsman – Blood scandal victims condemn Penrose inquiry – 25 March 2015
• ITV News – Campaigners demand apology after Penrose Inquiry report – 25 March 2015
• Mail Online – Blood scandal report ‘a whitewash’ – 25 March 2015
• The Guardian – Cameron apologises to those infected with hepatitis C and HIV 30 years ago – 25 March 2015
• The Daily Mail – Blood scandal ‘whitewash’: After four decades and 2,000 deaths, victims blast £6 million report into contaminated NHS supplies – 25 March 2015
• STV News – Interviews with Robert Mackie and Bill Wright – 24 March 2015 (with thanks to Tainted Blood)
• Edinburgh Evening News – Hepatitis C blood transfusion victims await answers – 24 March 2015
• Daily Record – AIDS sufferer wants justice after watching 14 friends and family die after all were infected with tainted blood product from same donor – 24 March 2015
• The Scotsman -Call for compensation over tainted blood – 23 March 2015
• The Herald – Contaminated blood scandal as bad as Lockerbie or Piper Alpha, say victims – 22 March 2015
• The Herald – Chair of Penrose public inquiry seriously ill – 20 March 2015
• The Herald – Contaminated blood toll ‘a tragedy’ – 15 January 2015
• BBC Radio Scotland – NewsDrive interview with Dan Farthing-Sykes – 15 January 2015 (with thanks to Tainted Blood)
• BBC Radio Scotland – Good Morning Scotland with Bruce Norval and Dan Farthing-Sykes – 15th January 2015 (with thanks to Tainted Blood)

2014

• The Herald – Scotland’s HIV blood scandal turned into play for European horror-fest – 11 January 2014
• BBC Radio Scotland –  Good Morning Scotland – FACTOR 9 – 17 April 2014 (with thanks to Tainted Blood)
• STV News – FACTOR 9 interview with Bruce Norval – 9th April 2014 (with thanks to Tainted Blood)
• BBC Radio Scotland – Culture Studio – FACTOR 9 – 8 April 2014 (with thanks to Tainted Blood)

2013

• The Herald – Final report of bad blood inquiry delayed to 2014 – 27 October 2013

2012

• The Scotsman – Penrose Inquiry will not allow more witnesses – 12 November 2012
• Daily Record – ‘Procrastination’ led to thousands receiving contaminated blood – 1 July 2012
• The Herald – After 10 years, a major inquiry and at least 1000 deaths … why the truth about Scotland’s bad blood scandal may never be known – 1 April 2012
• STV News Compilation – Penrose Inquiry.  Inteviews with Bill Wright and Patrick Maguire – 30 March 2012 (with thanks to Tainted Blood)
• BBC News – Penrose contaminated blood inquiry evidence to end – 30 March 2012
• The Herald – Hepatitis C victims call for apology – 28 February 2012

2011

• BBC News – Scottish blood contamination victims compensation boost – 4 March 2011

2010

• The Scotsman – Hepatitis C sufferers tell how ‘manky’ blood devastated their lives – September 2010

2009

• The Scotsman – Police probe claims that doctor ‘failed to tell patients they had HIV’ – 19 July 2009
• The Scotsman – Inquiry into infected blood scandal will ‘name names’ of those to blame – 31 March 2009
• STV News – Penrose Inquiry Begins interviews with Bill Wright and Bruce Norval – 31 March 2009 (with thanks to Tainted Blood)
• Daily Record – Infected blood inquiry – 27 February 2009
• The Scotsman – Toxic blood victims deserve millions, says inquiry – 23 February 2009
• The Herald – Gary Scott Kelly – 20 February 2009

2008

• The Herald – Contaminated blood – 6 February 2008
• STV News – Ministers order full public inquiry into Contaminated Blood interviews with Robert Mackie, Philip Dolan and Frank McGuire of Thompsons Solicitors Scotland – 23 April 2018 (with thanks to Tainted Blood)

2007

• The Scotsman – Lord Owen alleges a ‘cover-up’ over 1,757 blood deaths -12 July 2007
• The Scotsman – Hundreds may have HIV without knowing – 5 June 2007
• The Scotsman – Ministers agree to inquiry into blood contamination – 26 May 2007
• STV News – Hepatitis C Public Inquiry gets the go-ahead interviews with Philip Dolan and Nicola Sturgeon MSP – 26 May 2007 (with thanks to Tainted Blood)
• The Scotsman – ‘Used as HIV guinea pigs but no-one even told us we had been infected’ – 25 May 2007
• STV News – Inquiry into haemophiliac deaths hears from Bruce Norval – 24 May 2007 (with thanks to Tainted Blood)
• The Scotsman – Doctors didn’t tell me that I was HIV positive for three years – 18 April 2007
• BBC Newsnight – Haemophiliacs used in trials – Part 1, Part 2, Part 3 – 17 April 2007 (featuring Robert Mackie with thanks to Tainted Blood)
• BBC Scotland News – Interview with “Morag” – 6th March 2007 (with thanks to Tainted Blood)

2006

• BBC Scotland News – Interview with Andy Gunn – 28th February 2006 (with thanks to Tainted Blood)
• The Herald – ‘Destroyed’ files on blood scandal may have survived HEALTH: HAEMOPHILIA Department of Health finds 45 boxes of documents – 27 August 2006
• The Herald – ‘I have no faith in system . . . it’s a sham’ – 17 June 2006
• The Scotsman – Haemophilia: the ongoing scandal – 17 April 2006
• The Herald – Safety fears over plasma products HEALTH: DANGER IN THE BLOOD Catalogue of risks exposed by NHS facility inspection – 9 April 2006
• The Herald – Tests for CJD will put doctors in moral minefield HEALTH: DIAGNOSIS DILEMMA Ahead of international conference, expert raises concerns over ethical dilemmas surrounding detection of incurable disease . . . and questions tests’ practicality – 19 March 2006

2005

• The Herald – NHS knew blood for tranfusions was contaminated with hepatitis Government refuses public inquiry into unsafe practice – 23 January 2005

2004

• The Scotsman – Pair fined for Holyrood paint-hurling protest – 19 November 2004
• The Scotsman – 6,000 people told they may have vCJD – 22 September 2004
• BBC – Frontline Scotland – Blood and Tears –  2004

2003

• The Scotsman – Expert calls for blood donation ban to curb CJD – 21 December 2003
• BBC Scotland – Andy Gunn interview about Hepatitis C – 25 September 2003 (with thanks to Tainted Blood)
• The Times – Blood risk for haemophiliacs ‘covered up’ – 7 September 2003 (with thanks to Carol Grayson, Haemophilia Action UK)
• BBC Scotland – Interviews with Andy Gunn and Philip Dolan – 29th August 2003 (with thanks to Tainted Blood)
• The Scotsman – ‘I’m watching very closely what is going on in the American courts’ – 6 July 2003
• The Scotsman -‘The doctors never told me I was infected’ – 6 May 2003
• The Scotsman – Report due to decide on blood charges – 23 April 2003
• The Scotsman – Ministers split over payments for virus victims – 30 January 2003

2002

• The Scotsman – Student, 17, is latest fatal victim of vCJD – 19 December 2002
• BBC Scotland News – 6 November 2002 (with thanks to Tainted Blood)
• The Scotsman – Fury over minister’s hepatitis C delaying tactics – 15 November 2002
• The Scotsman – Haemophiliacs’ plea – 19 June 2002
• The Scotsman – Hep C victims’ payout U-turn – 11 January 2002

2001

• The Scotsman – Executive to extend hepatitis C compensation – 19 September 2001
• The Herald – Pay-out blow and new anguish for haemophiliacs – 30 August 2001

2000

• The Herald – Blood claims thwarted by legal aid row NHS patients infected with hepatitis say Scots law is failing them – 11 August 2000

1997

• The Herald – Seven doctors in Aids inquiry – 20 March 1997

1996

• The Herald – Myths, lies and the real truth about Aids – 6 July 1996

1992

• The Herald – Jailed doctors seen as scapegoats in French Aids trial – 24 October 1992

1990

• The Herald – Scientist looks back in anger as battle rages over the discovery of Aids – 30 January 1990

1989

• The Herald – £19m for haemophiliac victims of Aids. Campaigners claim pay-out not enough – 24 November 1989