So, a few weeks ago I watched the Bad Blood Documentary http://badblooddocumentary.com .
It was the most terrifying thing I have ever saw. The directory Marilyn Ness did a wonderful job of getting you emotionally connected to various families who start off the film smiling in family photos. You are then told about the pain they have had to endure throughout the course of their lives, massive bleeds, huge swollen joints. Things start looking up when the documentary describes how factor replacement therapy came into place and now hemophiliacs have access to treatment when ever, where ever. It was thought for some time that it was a miracle cure. However, the medicine that was suppose to make them better turned out to contain the Hepatitis C and HIV virus. This part of the film alone is heartbreaking to see. Strong young men turned into feeble sick people. But that's not even the worse part. The fact that the drug companies, government regulators and some doctors knew, and still administered the products to patients is infuriating. I was in complete shock watching this film and angry for weeks. It took me until today to calm down enough so I could even write this blog about it!
You see I am one of the lucky ones. I was born in 1983 and began getting frequent blood transfusion ever since then. The Canadian blood supply was tainted between 1980 and 1990. So the fact that I have no contracted one of these virus if not both is a complete miracle.
One of the main points I feel the film was trying to make is that THIS WILL HAPPEN AGAIN! If we do not monitor the blood supply and if we allow people to value money over human lives then we will find ourselves in this same boat again.
This may seem like a Hemophilia related issue but it is not. Many people use the blood system throughout their lives and it is up to all of us to ensure it is safe for all.
To understand the impact of this issue watch the Bad Blood Documentary.
I haven't had the courage to watch this yet. I knew so many people who were among the first to contract HCV and HIV from factor VIII and IX in the 1980's. Thanks for posting this and I will try to gather the strength to watch this important film.
ReplyDeleteI totally understand how you feel! Its horrifying to watch but i'm glad I did! Once you watch it please let me know what you think!
ReplyDeleteI had 6 Uncles with Hemphilia, 5 died from AIDS as well as two of their wives and one son. I want to see the film but don't know how to get it in Australia. Any ideas?
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