contaminated blood scandal in japan contaminated blood scandal in japan in the 1980s, between one and two thousand haemophilia patients in japan contracted hiv via contaminated blood products. controversy centered on the continued use of non-heat-treated blood products after the development of heat treatments that prevented the spread of infection. some high-ranking officials in the ministry of health and welfare, executives of the manufacturing company and a leading doctor in the field of haemophilia study were charged for involuntary manslaughter. background