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Death in the Blood

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Death in the Blood

By: Caroline Wheeler
Narrated by: Caroline Wheeler
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About this listen

 'This book should rock Whitehall to its foundations.' - Andy Burnham

'This is crusading journalism at its best.' - Lord Owen

The definitive account of the NHS infected blood scandal from Journalist of the Year at the British Journalism Awards 2024

In the 1970s and 1980s almost 5,000 people in the UK contracted HIV or hepatitis C after being infected by contaminated NHS blood products, including the notorious Factor VIII, yet no organisation or individual has ever been held to account. So far, more than 2,800 are known to have died, while tens of thousands more lives have been destroyed in the families of those affected.

Caroline Wheeler has been reporting on this scandal - the worst treatment disaster in the history of the NHS - for over two decades. She has been integral to the campaign for justice for the victims and their families, and played a pivotal role in persuading Prime Minister Theresa May to agree to the infected blood inquiry in 2019, the findings of which are expected to be published in late 2023.

Death in the Blood will be based on thousands of government documents, court and inquiry transcripts, plus interviews with prime ministers, cabinet ministers, Downing Street advisers, senior civil servants, doctors, and above all the victims and their families whose personal testimony forms the beating heart of this book.©2023 Caroline Wheeler (P)2023 Headline Publishing Group Ltd Biological Sciences Medical Professionals & Academics Science True Crime White Collar & Corporate Crime

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Critic reviews

This is the definitive analysis of the worst health scandal in British history. The terrifying lengths that the state went to to hide this outrage should chill us all. Wheeler's compassion in her approach to the horror she uncovered will stay with me forever. (Professor Lucy Easthope, author of When the Dust Settles)
All stars
Most relevant
Heartbreaking account of injustice upon injustice, shocking how so many people in power covered this up. I felt so overwhelmed by this. Thank you Caroline Wheeler x

MUST READ

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You will never believe the coverup from the government and medical professionals. The most outrageous story you never knew about.

Gripping from start to finish

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This is a good account of the Contaminated Blood Scandal, out at the ideal time as we await the final stretch of the inquiry. Wheeler is to be commended for her support of the community: I suspect most causes like this need journalists passionate about the truth.

This book will be an eye-opener for anyone who isn't at least indirectly linked to the CBS and it is mostly well written but it is perhaps not to my taste as Wheeler writes what to me feels like melodrama and overstatement into a tragic story that speaks for itself and doesn't require nearly as much repetition.

It is narrated very well, but I got a strange hiss for parts of the audiobook, so I marked down the performance a little.

I read The Poison Line first, before reading this/listening to this book. I think it's a better-written account that captures the details, outrage, and the heart of the CBS.

Solid account of the CBS, but a little overwritten

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You think you know about the tainted blood scandal? This book will have you gasping in both disbelief & outrage.

Devastating & Enraging

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Having lost my sister to this tragedy, I, like many others need to understand why - this has been informative and moving.

This should required reading for anyone studying for a career in health - The lessons should never be forgotten.

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