Women and children alleging miscarriages and birth defects from a pregnancy test drug said yesterday they were determined to be “heard” despite efforts to have their case dismissed.
About 200 people who say they were harmed by Primodos have filed a lawsuit against Bayer Pharma, Schering Health Care, Aventis Pharma and the government.
The hormone-based pregnancy test was introduced in the 1950s and up to a million women thought they had used it before it was withdrawn in 1978 for safety reasons.
The five-day trial began yesterday at the High Court in London, with defendants arguing that the case should be dismissed without a trial. They argue that the claim is “entirely speculative” and lacks causal evidence, meaning it has “no realistic chance of success.”
But Marie Lyon, 76, of the Association for Children Damaged by Hormone Pregnancy Tests, said women and children had already “died while waiting for justice”. Their daughter Sarah was born with a partially formed arm, which she believes was the result of taking the pills.
Marie Lyon (76), pictured, of the Association for Children Damaged by Hormone Pregnancy Tests, said women and children had already “died while waiting for justice”. Their daughter Sarah was born with a partially formed arm, which she believes was the result of taking the pills
About 200 people who say they were harmed by Primodos have filed a lawsuit against Bayer Pharma, Schering Health Care, Aventis Pharma and the government. Pictured: Plaintiffs before the Supreme Court
Outside the court, she said: “We want recognition and recognition to be able to prevent this, and that is more important to us than anything – to prevent something like this from happening again.
“The second reason we want it is to get rid of guilt. All of us moms, myself included, feel guilty that we took the pills, that we didn’t ask for them, and that we didn’t ask questions about them.
“As first-time mothers, as many of us were, we never dreamed of consulting our GP. This guilt will never go away for any of us.
“The third reason why we need to be heard is history. We lost three of our kids in their late 40s, early 50s who died as a result, and that was in the last three months.
We know her health is deteriorating. We need to know that they have future security.’
The pills worked by inducing a period when the woman was not pregnant. Schering, now owned by Bayer, has always denied any link between the drug and birth defects in babies.
The case continues.
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Crystal Leahy is an author and health journalist who writes for The Fashion Vibes. With a background in health and wellness, Crystal has a passion for helping people live their best lives through healthy habits and lifestyles.
