Roughly 6,000 to 10,000 people or their families are affected. Hemophiliacs contend that the companies put them at risk for AIDS in the early 1980s by failing to sterilize donated blood used to make the factors. The hemophiliacs also say they have documents proving that the companies, to save money, intentionally recruited donors from groups thought to be at high risk for AIDS including gay men, illegal intravenous drug users and prison inmates. Nearly 5,000 AIDS-infected hemophiliacs have died. Since hemophilia is common among siblings and is usually present in males, some families have been decimated by the deaths of three or more brothers.
Deaths are now occurring at a rate of two per day, activists say.
All donors were screened for diseases and those thought at high risk for AIDS were excluded as early as 1982, the companies say. Tragically, by that time, most of the infections had already occurred. Hemophiliac activists grudgingly endorsed the deal, calling it inadequate, but acknowledging that many victims would want it. Some people are in serious financial trouble and they need money. Dubin wouldn't speculate on whether the deal will be completed.