Hundreds of families devastated by a pregnancy testing drug described as Britain's 'silent scandal' are demanding an immediate public inquiry into what they call a decades-long cover-up.
Campaigners representing victims of Primodos - a hormone-based pregnancy test used in the 1960s and 1970s - have delivered an emotional plea to the Department of Health, urging ministers to finally address the suffering caused by the medication.
The Hidden Victims
Marie Lyon, chair of the Association for Children Damaged by Hormone Pregnancy Tests, led a delegation of affected families to Whitehall. 'This has been going on for 50 years,' she told Sky News. 'We need a public inquiry to find out why this has been covered up for so long.'
The campaigners' demands follow mounting evidence linking Primodos to severe birth defects including limb abnormalities, brain damage, and heart conditions. Many children born to mothers who took the tablets experienced life-altering disabilities.
Mounting Evidence Ignored
Recent findings suggest regulators and drug companies may have been aware of the potential risks much earlier than previously acknowledged. A 2020 report from the Independent Medicines and Medical Devices Safety Review concluded that Primodos 'should have been removed from the market sooner' than its eventual withdrawal in 1978.
Despite this, victims and their families have faced repeated obstacles in their quest for recognition and compensation. 'We've been fighting this for decades,' one campaigner explained. 'Every time we get close to the truth, another door slams shut.'
Political Pressure Builds
The campaign has gained cross-party support, with MPs from all major parties calling for proper investigation into what some describe as one of the NHS's biggest treatment disasters.
Conservative MP Sir Mike Penning, who has supported the campaign, stated: 'These families deserve answers. The evidence suggests there has been a systematic failure to address their legitimate concerns.'
As the political pressure intensifies, victims hope that their long fight for justice may finally be nearing a resolution. For many, however, any outcome comes too late to undo decades of suffering.
