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<\/a><\/figure>\nPeter Longstaff hold up his treatment cards showing what was recorded each time a haemophiliac took factor 8 treatment<\/strong>.<\/p>\n (Image, Grayson Archives)<\/strong><\/p>\n The infection of Dame Anita Roddick with hepatitis C (who founded the Body Shop championing ethical standards in beauty products) has for many years been reported as a \u201ctransfusion\u201d case during childbirth as opposed to infection via treatment with manufactured blood products such as factor concentrates. In the Sussex Express<\/em>, a tribute from Prime Minister, Gordon Brown referred to Roddick, who died in 2007 of a brain haemorrhage and had cirrhosis\u00a0of the liver, as \u201cone of this country\u2019s \u2018true pioneers’\u201d. He stated, \u201cshe campaigned for green issues for many years before it became fashionable to do so and inspired millions to the cause by bringing sustainable products to a mass market.\u201d<\/p>\n Looking into the background of Roddick\u2019s infection, back on the 15th February 2007, the Guardian <\/em>reported,<\/p>\n Dame\u00a0Anita Roddick<\/a>, the founder of the Body Shop, revealed yesterday that she is carrying hepatitis C and has cirrhosis of the liver, one of the condition\u2019s long-term effects. The 64-year-old entrepreneur said she had contracted hepatitis C through a blood transfusion while giving birth to her youngest daughter, Sam, in 1971.<\/em><\/p>\n So it was with some surprise that the author of this blog Carol Grayson heard a recent podcast with Caroline Wheeler author of the newly released book, Death in the Blood: The inside story of the NHS infected blood scandal,<\/em> where it was suddenly alleged Roddick\u2019s infection came from factor 8 concentrates.<\/p>\n The podcast can be heard here,<\/p>\n https:\/\/podfollow.com\/1649210131\/episode\/90c07b9e7c62feed8af03d429feaf788bf739479\/view<\/a><\/p>\n The Evening Standard<\/em> reported,<\/p>\n Dame Anita contracted the disease from a transfusion of contaminated blood, 20 years before a national blood screening programme for the virus was introduced in 1991.<\/em><\/p>\n The article highlights Roddick saying,<\/p>\n \u201cI am not angry, there was no blood screening programme for hepatitis C until 1991, but what bugs me is the Government\u2019s conspicuous absence on this subject, they are not doing anything about it,\u201d <\/em><\/p>\n This comment in itself is significant as it indicates Roddick was referring to a whole blood transfusion rather than blood products. She is referring to the date when blood was first tested for hepatitis C to avoid transmission of the virus via whole blood. With regard to those infected through factor concentrate treatment such as haemophiliacs with an inherited blood clotting disorder, they refer to the date when blood products were first heat treated to kill off hepatitis C and HIV and this was 1984. (The date is later in Scotland due to methods used which were not as effective.) Government and medical journal sources and numerous books have confirmed whole blood was never imported. It would have been too impractical to do so and had a much shorter shelf life than concentrates however factor concentrate treatment was imported from the US in large quantities with the first product licences granted in 1973.<\/p>\n The date given regarding Roddick\u2019s infection is 1971. There are instances of haemophiliacs being given imported factor concentrates in 1972 including Grayson\u2019s husband Peter Longstaff but this was usually on a \u201cnamed patient basis\u201d on application and for those on treatment trials. Longstaff attended a special school for children with disabilities named Lord Mayor Treloar College. He was on treatment trials in the early 1970s as his official records show and the college has a treatment centre at the school. Longstaff was infected with HIV, hepatitis B and C and exposed to variant CJD all through his treatment with factor 8 products. Roddick never mentioned having any clotting disorder. It is likely she was treated either at an Accident and Emergency Unit or a maternity hospital or unit. As she was treated for bleeding in relation to childbirth it is highly unlikely there would be time for a named patient basis application.<\/p>\n With regard to treatment with UK factor concentrates, the now disgraced, Department of Health Self Sufficiency Report 2006<\/em>, deemed a \u201cwhitewash\u201d and withdrawn on the evidence of this author, does mention some very early NHS factor concentrates being produced, \u201cin the UK, NHS factor VIII concentrate was being produced as early as 1969, and its production rose steadily, almost doubling between 1976 and 1977\u201d however haemophiliacs that were the biggest users of this treatment mostly remained on cryoprecipitate until 1973 and importation began, unless they were part of UK treatment trials on a named patient basis. The other treatments at that time were Fresh Frozen Plasma (FFP) or Cryoprecipitate from the UK. The 1971 treatment is the only treatment date referred to by Roddick herself when she discusses her infection.<\/p>\n This 1971 date is echoed by her daughter in an interview with BBC Newsnight<\/em> where again she refers to a blood \u201ctransfusion\u201d. <\/p>\n For the last few years, the mixing together of two entirely separate cases haemopohlia and whole blood in the media, and the Infected Blood Inquiry set up in 2018 to investigate how patients were infected have caused much confusion in people. The two groups campaigned separately for years as the Haemophilia Society doesn\u2019t have a legal remit beyond inherited bleeding disorders and the Hepatitis C Trust covers whole blood cases. The circumstances and evidence around haemophilia and whole blood are very different. In some cases more recently the two have campaigned together but the joining together has increased the confusion and in some cases caused great damage due to the mix up of cases where for example people infected through whole blood transfusions have wrongly stated they had received US blood. This is highly distressing for haemophiliacs that actually did have factor concentrates and launched cases in the US in the early 2000s.<\/p>\n In 2017, I read interviews with Roddick\u2019s daughter who appeared to be confusing the two. I did leave messages via the publications publishing her story to try to explain the differences. In one 2017 BBC Newsnight<\/em> interview she can be heard discussing a blood transfusion responsible for her mother\u2019s infection (not factor concentrate treatment) then when asked who is to blame naming the pharmaceutical companies. If Roddick had a whole blood transfusion, the blame would lay with authorities in the UK such as the National Blood Transfusion Service not pharma companies. <\/p>\n BBC Newsnight interview 31st July 2017<\/strong><\/p>\n If Roddick had factor concentrates that should be recorded in her medical or treatment records, this was necessary in case urgent product recalls needed to be carried out. There are a number of other potential risks related to manufactured treatment such as bacterial contaminant getting into a bottle which occasionally occurred. For haemophiliacs this recording was done on a green card system and included the following,<\/p>\n These batch number treatment details appear to have sometimes been kept separate to the medical records. If Roddick has been infected with factor 8 products presumably Wheeler, as an investigative journalist and author will have asked to see records of batch numbers to verify this or medical notes within Roddick\u2019s records that specificly state the use of factor concentrates, what dosage, how many units etc. Concentrates come in small glass bottles containing a white powder (freeze died concentrates) and are mixed with sterile water for injection into a vein. Grayson has been through this process herself when asked to verify her husband\u2019s treatment for journalists covering his story of infection.<\/p>\n Also it is important to state that the notes of a person with a lifelong medical condition such as a blood clotting disorder are usually kept for several years after death. Grayson has included a photo of her late husband displaying a photocopy of one of these treatment cards needed for litigation in the US so his treatment could be traced back to source (such as a US prison). Longstaff\u2019s lawyers confirmed to the couple and the BBC that he had received factor concentrate products where a named HIV infected donor had sold his blood at Arkansas State Penitentiary. Longstaff received the treatment AFTER the prison plasma centre was closed down on the grounds of safety. This treatment was part of the \u201cdumped\u201d treatment second generation litigation. The pharmas accepted Longstaff\u2019s case and others and an agreement was reached with a silence clause some years ago with the bulk of the responsibility put firmly at the feet of the UK government as having first line \u201cduty of care\u201d regarding treatment safety.<\/p>\n Stuart Mclean who became infected with hepatitis C after being wrongly misdiagnosed as a haemophiliac and treated with factor concentrates also wants to understand why it is suddenly being claimed Roddick had factor 8 when there has been no reference to this before. He also pointed to a 2017 video interview with Roddick\u2019s daughter highlighting her mother\u2019s infection via a blood transfusion. McLean noted a publication stating that Roddick\u2019s youngest daughter Sam was born in Rustington in the UK, so she had been in the UK when giving birth (as opposed to being treated abroad.)<\/p>\n\n