Bluter scandal federal pays another ten million

The federal government will pay ten million euros for HIV-infected hemophiliacs

07/06/2014

In the 1980s, many hemophiliacs in Germany were infected by contaminated plasma with HIV. As the SPD Bundestag member Bärbel Bas announced, the federal government is another ten million euros for the victims of the blood scandal.

Another ten million euros for victims of the blood scandal
More than 1,500 haemophilia patients, as the term for hemophilia, had infected in the 1980s in Germany about contaminated coagulation preparations with HIV. Over 1,000 of the victims died at that time. As the SPD delegate Bärbel Bas after the budget discussions on Friday in Berlin according to a message from the news agency dpa announced, the federal government provides another ten million euros for the victims of the so-called blood scandal. Benefits receive not only the approximately 550 survivors, but also relatives.

Benefits secured until 2017
The affected hemophilia patients receive help from the foundation „Humanitarian aid for blood-infected people“, in whose council Bas is a member. The cash injection would secure benefits for those affected and their families by 2017. Bas said that now the other founders, ie the federal states, the pharmaceutical industry and the Red Cross, are also responsible for providing the foundation with enough money after 2017 as well. The foundation was founded in 1995.

Risks were downplayed
The infections occurred because the preparations had been withdrawn from the market and risks had been downplayed late, despite findings about dangers. In 1994, the then Federal Health Minister Horst Seehofer (CSU) in the wake of the scandal, the Federal Health Office (BGA) dissolved and a year later, the Federal Foundation was launched. Originally, experts had expected the death of all those affected by 1999. The funds for the foundation had to be increased earlier. (Ad)

Picture credits: Dirk Kruse