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In his letter to Ann McIwrath, John Breen asserted that patients received the best treatment available in light of medical knowledge at the time.

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In his witness statement, John Breen stated that the Government's position towards the financial support for those infected with Hepatitis C was informed by the stencil letter from the NHS Executive.

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Leonard Levy, NHS Executive, provided John Breen, Department of Health and Social Services Northern Ireland, Sandra Falconer, the Scottish Office and Gareth Brydon, the Welsh Office, with approved draft letters to assist with responding to enquiries about haemophilia patients infected with Hepatitis C.

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A standard letter concerning haemophilia patients infected with Hepatitis C was further provided by John Breen, NHS Executive, to Sandra Falconer, the Scottish Office.

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Ann Towner, Department of Health, informed Gary Wildridge, Scottish Office, of the revised line concerning compensation of those infected with Hepatitis C through blood products, providing him with revised standard replies.

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Tony Newton, answering questions on behalf of the Prime Minister in his capacity as Leader of the House of Commons and Lord President of the Council, responded that it was "an unhappy fact that the patients received the best treatment available in the light of medical knowledge at the time and that to offer compensation when no negligence or neglect was demonstrated would be a significant and substantial step".

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The line that patients received the best treatment available in the light of medical knowledge at the time continued to be used in Parliament.

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The Secretary of State for Health, Stephen Dorrell, used the same line, that patients received the best treatment available in the light of medical knowledge at the time, writing to Roy Hattersley MP.

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A memo from Ian Snedden to Gerald Malone, the Minister of State, asserted that the Government had never accepted negligence in the treatment of people with haemophilia or other patients who became infected with Hepatitis C through blood transfusions or blood products, as these patients received the best treatment available in the light of medical knowledge at the time.

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A minute from Dr Andrzej Rejman to the Department of Health's Information Division copied to Dr Jeremy Metters (Deputy CMO) further stated that while it was unfortunate that some individuals became infected with Hepatitis C following blood transfusion or treatment with blood products, there was no negligence and treatment was given in accordance with the best medical and scientific knowledge at the time.

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The briefing for the Prime Minister became more assertive, and began to state, "I am confident" that the patients concerned received the best treatment available in the light of medical knowledge at the time.

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A briefing for the Prime Minister further included the statement "I am confident" that those infected with Hepatitis C through NHS treatment received the best treatment available in light of the medical knowledge at the time.

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John Horam, the Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State for Health, held the line in Parliament that those infected with Hepatitis C through NHS treatment received the best treatment available and emphasised the great benefits of Factor 8 concentrate.

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A letter from John Horam, the Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State for Health, to Reverend Alan Tanner, the Chairman of the Haemophilia Society, noted that people with haemophilia received the best treatment available in light of medical knowledge and that there were no real alternatives to Factor 8 at that time.

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A briefing on the line to take in response to the "Evening Standard" article on the subject of Alpha Interferon treatment referred to the pressure that ministers were under to make payments to people with haemophilia infected with Hepatitis C and observed that "The Government has said that these patients received the best treatment available in the light of knowledge at the time".

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A letter from James Douglas-Hamilton, the Scottish Office, to Dr Winifred Ewing MP echoed the sentiment of the Department of Health letters that patients received the best treatment available in light of the medical knowledge at the time.

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A letter from James Douglas-Hamilton, the Scottish Office, to Gordon Brown MP noted that patients received the best treatment available in light of the medical knowledge at the time.

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In his memo to Mr Billinge in relation to the Haemophilia Society's report on the impact of Hepatitis C, Kevin Guinness noted that no fault or negligence on the part of the NHS had been proven and that there were no plans to make special payments.

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The Secretary of State, Stephen Dorrell, met with John Marshall MP to discuss compensation for people with haemophilia with Hepatitis C.

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A briefing produced by officials for Hepatitis Awareness Week suggested that patients received the best treatment available in light of medical knowledge at the time.

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