Hamilton, Ontario
The Red Cross in Canada pleaded guilty this week to distributing blood tainted with HIV or hepatitis C. The blood was circulated in the 1980s, and the scandal has been called the worst public health disaster in Canada’s history. As a result of the error, more than 1,000 Canadians were believed to have been infected with HIV, the virus that causes AIDS, and as many as 20,000 others contracted hepatitis C. More than 3,000 of the victims have died. The Red Cross has already paid victims $70 million. In a deal with prosecutors, all criminal charges were dropped after the organization admitted it had been too slow to begin screening its blood supply.
Subscribe to The Week
Escape your echo chamber. Get the facts behind the news, plus analysis from multiple perspectives.
Sign up for The Week's Free Newsletters
From our morning news briefing to a weekly Good News Newsletter, get the best of The Week delivered directly to your inbox.
From our morning news briefing to a weekly Good News Newsletter, get the best of The Week delivered directly to your inbox.
Create an account with the same email registered to your subscription to unlock access.
-
What would it be like in jail for Trump if he's convicted?Today's Big Question The Secret Service has begun grappling with how to protect a former president behind bars
-
How much can you save shopping secondhand?The Explainer Many Americans are buying pre-owned items to counteract the effects of inflation
-
Downtown St. Louis is in a real estate 'doom loop'Under the Radar The city is ripe with abandoned buildings and vacant lots, with its real estate market in dire straits
