Haemophiliacs in Newcastle "should have been told" that there was a "clear and special risk" they could contract HIV from contaminated blood products as early as 1984, a former senior health adviser has said.
Speaking at the ongoing Infected Blood Inquiry this week, Sir Michael Rawlins gave evidence accepting that health bosses and doctors were "a bit paternalistic" at that time, and were reticent to tell patients about problems or potential problems with their treatments. Sir Michael was Professor of Clinical Pharmacology at Newcastle University for 33 years to 2006 and also held a series of roles at the Committee for the Safety of Medicines (CSM).
The CSM was a precursor organisation to the Medicines and Healthcare Products Regulatory Authority (MHRA). Sir Michael was a member of the CSM from 1980 and became chair in 1998. During the 1980s he also had a role advising what was then the Newcastle District Health Authority. He was also chair of the MHRA from 2015.
