BRAIN TEST HORROR
Blood inquiry told of invasive surgery after boy dies
THE father of twin boys infected with HIV and hepatitis C from contaminated blood told how one of his sons had his brain removed after his death – without the family’s knowledge or permission.
Speaking of the “heartbreaking nightmare”, the boys’ father gave evidence to the Infected Blood Inquiry in Edinburgh about how his twins were infected as young children, which led to the death of one. The man, “Mr AB”, told how the boys were diagnosed with haemophilia at 11 months old, which required regular treatment using blood products.
In 1985, the boys, then 10, were diagnosed with HIV and hepatitis C, despite the family not being told they were at risk or were being tested for the diseases. Mr AB said he felt the twins were “treated like lab rats” and were given different medication without explanation.
One of the boys became severely ill and died in a Glasgow hospital in 1992. Mr AB had refused permission for a post-mortem.
But in a chance encounter with one of the doctors involved in the case, he said he was told his son’s brain had been removed to establish the cause of death.
It emerged that measles had infected the boy’s brain and Mr AB said he was told, “If only we had known that, we could have done more” by the doctor.
The hearings are scheduled to continue in Cardiff from July 23.