NORTH-EAST patients are using one of the world's biggest law firms to launch a multi-million dollar legal action over contaminated blood products.

A lawsuit filed in San Francisco alleges that US companies were responsible for an international scandal which has left thousands of haemophilia patients dead or seriously ill.

Peter Longstaff, 45, a Newcastle haemophiliac, is just one of a number of North-East patients represented by US lawyers Lieff, Cabraser, Heimann and Bernstein.

The San Francisco-based law firm has already won massive damages on behalf of the families of Holocaust victims, cigarette smokers and businesses affected by the Exxon Valdez oil tanker wreck.

Robert Nelson, who is handling Mr Longstaff's case, described it as "a global tragedy" which had led to thousands of deaths.

Mr Longstaff became seriously ill after being given blood-clotting products in the 1980s which were contaminated with the Aids virus and hepatitis C.

The scandal was exposed in the UK by The Northern Echo and the newspaper gained the support of MPs from across the country. Eventually, the Government set up a compensation fund.

A total of 95 haemophilia patients treated at Newcastle Royal Victoria Infirmary, including Mr Longstaff, were infected with HIV at the time. So far, 78 have died.

Mr Longstaff has already been given permission to mount a legal challenge to obtain safer treatment in the UK after being refused access to an artificial blood clotting agent.

His liver has been so badly damaged by hepatitis that he may need a transplant.

The American law firm has begun proceedings on behalf of haemophiliacs, or their survivors, outside the US who became ill after being given contaminated blood products made by American companies.

Mr Nelson said: "Tens of thousands of haemophiliacs globally were infected with HIV or hepatitis C after receiving blood products from blood plasma that was originally manufactured in the United States."

The allegation is that the companies intentionally sold blood clotting agents that they knew, or should have known, to be infected with HIV and hepatitis C.

Mr Nelson said the action was aimed at forcing the American companies that made the contaminated products to "acknowledge their responsibility to haemophiliacs and their families".

Lawyers for Mr Longstaff and others allege that the defendants obtained blood products from high-risk sources, including prisoners, drug users and promiscuous gay men.

They allege that the companies failed to exclude donors with a history of viral hepatitis, which is required by law in the US.

When the first evidence emerged in the 1980s that haemophiliacs had died from Aids, the defendants allegedly failed to warn patients of the risk.

The American companies named in the lawsuit include Baxter Healthcare Corporation, its Hyland Pharmaceutical division, Armour Pharmaceutical Company and Alpha Therapeutic Corporation.

Carol Grayson, Mr Longstreet's wife, said: "It is very good news that the legal action is beginning at last."

The Californian law firm has taken on the Longstaff case, along with a number of other North-East haemophiliacs, on a "no win, no fee" basis, she added.

It has been reported in America that the companies named in the- suit willcontest the allegations but have not yet filed a formal response.