Unspeakable tells the story of the Canadian tainted blood crisis of the 1980s, where those in control of the Canadian blood system failed to act despite mounting evidence of possible transmission of HIV and hepatitis via blood and blood products.
The impact on the hemophiliac community who relied on these products to survive is explored through the eyes of two families. In Toronto, Will and Margaret Sanders, a public health official and teacher, do everything they can to keep their hemophiliac son, Ryan, safe.
In Vancouver, Ben and Alice Landry also try to protect their hemophiliac son, Peter. However, Peter becomes infected with the AIDS virus at age fifteen from tainted blood, leading him to live a high-risk life as he believes he will die any day from AIDS.
As Peter struggles with his diagnosis, Ben, a journalist, becomes bitter and this negatively affects his relationships with both Alice and Peter.