US blood was too freely imported to UK in 70s and 80s, David Owen tells inquiry

Ex-health minister says not enough was done to avoid using contaminated US blood to treat haemophiliacs

Not enough was done to stop contaminated blood being imported from the US to treat British haemophiliacs in the 1970s and 80s, the former UK health minister David Owen has said.

Giving evidence to the infected blood inquiry, the one-time Labour MP said he had supported making Britain self-sufficient in blood products and had been determined to stop blood coming in from America".