HIV transmission through blood and blood products is now extremely rare in the UK, as we have a very safe blood supply.
The introduction of a viral inactivation system in 1985 and of regulations restricting donations to the National Blood Service (NBS) have been very successful. Find out more about our stance on these restrictions.
Blood-related diagnoses do still occur in the UK, but they can usually be traced to exposure in countries that do not employ the same safety techniques. Since the introduction of testing for HIV in 1985, there have been three cases of transmission of the virus to patients through blood from donors in the 'window period' for testing. There has not been a confirmed case of HIV transmission in the UK blood supply in the last 10 years.
During the late 1970s and early 1980s haemophilia treatments were made from pooled donated blood. Some of this blood came from people who had HIV or other blood borne viruses, such as Hepatitis. Find out more about haemophilia and HIV.
Statistics
Up to the end of 2011, just over 2,000 people had been infected with HIV through blood or tissue transfer. Only 533 people who acquired HIV through blood products are still alive and in care in the UK.
Approximately 80 per cent of cases were diagnosed before 1992. The majority of diagnoses since then are attributed to infections acquired outside of the UK.
In 2011, 23 blood donors tested positive for HIV during the blood screening process.