Carol Grayson was awarded the ESRC Michael Young Prize for her research dissertation on Contaminated Blood written in 2005/6

(Image Grayson Archives)

The following email dated 17th January, 2023 was sent to Ian Green (then) CEO of the Terrence Higgins Trust regarding the announcement that the sexual health charity was funding Jason Evans, Factor 8 Group in a research capacity. Monies from the Macfarlane Trust set up by government to provide financial and other support to haemophiliac beneficiaries and partners infected with HIV, affected partners and bereaved families were transferred to THT when the Trust was closed down in 2018. This was done however without consulting all registrants and the longest standing campaigners, some that had been part of the Joint Partnership Group were deliberately kept out of a meeting with a government mediator to elicit their thoughts and opinions. A questionnaire produced for the same purpose was not received by some registrants until AFTER the closing date of submission. This caused huge distress and anger within the infected and affected haemophilia community.

Richard Angell, (current) CEO was allegedly overheard by a person within the Haemophilia Society some time back before he entered this role to have stated, that THT had “found a way to fund Jason”. This raised questions as to what was the Tender process and whether other candidates were given equal consideration for funding? This was particularly concerning given Evans had repeatedly appeared in the media claiming he had discovered documents from 2017 onwards that were discovered and presented by the author of this blog Carol Anne Grayson to government 2 decades ago. Such claims distort the Timeline of who knew what and when which is key to achieving truth and justice. Numerous stories that Grayson and her late husband Peter (a haemophiliac infected with HIV and hepatitis viruses who died in 2005) had initiated with the press based on their research that were published years ago and were exclusive to the couple were also plagiarised and rehashed.

To date, the Tender Process has not been sent to campaigners, there has been no explanation of what research is being carried out or how much Jason Evans and Factor 8 Group are being funded and the questions below remain unanswered.

Dear Ian,

In relation to Terrence Higgins Trust funding of Jason Evans to carry out research or campaigning on Haemophilia/Contaminated Blood, I would be grateful if you could assist me with the following, please provide :-

1. Any published and peer reviewed research on Contaminated Blood carried out by Jason Evans prior to 1^st January 2015

2. Any published research on Contaminated Blood by Jason Evans that has passed an ethics committee prior to January 1^st 2015

3. Any published research on Contaminated Blood by Jason Evans that have won awards prior to January 1^st 2015

4. Any questionnaires on Contaminated Blood devised by Jason Evans that have passed an ethics committee prior to January 1^st 2015

5. Any press articles where Jason Evans is interviewed as a campaigner on Contaminated Blood prior to January 1^st 2015

6. Any awarded media campaigns on Contaminated Blood where Jason Evans  was a joint partner prior to January 1^st 2015

7. Any awarded documentaries on Contaminated Blood where Jason Evans participated as a researcher prior to January 1^st 2015

8. Any dissertations published on Contaminated Blood by Jason Evans prior to January 1^st 2015

9. Any petitions on Contaminated Blood raised by Jason Evans prior to January 1^st 2015

10. Any Hansard publication on Contaminated Blood where Jason Evans is mentioned prior to January 1^st 2015

11. Any printed or digitalized book on Contaminated Blood where Jason Evans is mentioned prior to January 1^st 2015

12. Any campaign group on Contaminated Blood that Jason Evans set up prior to January 1^st 2015

13. Any award related to any aspect of Contaminated Blood won by Jason Evans prior to January 1^st 2015

14. Any TV or radio interview on Contaminated Blood which features or is presented by Jason Evans prior to January 1^st 2015

15. Any podcast on Contaminated Blood featuring or presented by Jason Evans prior to January 1^st 2015

I would be grateful if you could reply within the 20 days stated in THT earlier email.

With thanks

Yours sincerely

Carol Grayson

Carol Anne Grayson is an independent writer/researcher on global health/human rights/WOT and is Executive Producer of the Oscar nominated, Incident in New Baghdad.  She was a Registered Mental Nurse with a Masters in Gender Culture and Development. Carol was awarded the ESRC, Michael Young Prize for Research 2009, and the COTT ‘Action = Life’ Human Rights Award’ for “upholding truth and justice”. She is also a survivor of US “collateral damage”.