UK DES victims urge public inquiry for historic drug harm

Victims of the pregnancy drug diethylstilbestrol (DES) are scheduled to meet with Health Secretary Wes Streeting. The group, DES Justice UK (DJUK), is advocating for a public inquiry into the widespread use of the drug, which was prescribed to approximately 300,000 pregnant women between the 1940s and 1970s.

DJUK, comprising over 500 members including women and their descendants, also seeks the establishment of an NHS screening program. This program aims to identify individuals who may face health risks, such as infertility, reproductive abnormalities, and an increased likelihood of certain cancers, due to DES exposure. The drug was linked to clear cell adenocarcinoma in 1971, leading to warnings in the US, though it continued to be used in Europe until 1978.

Health Secretary Wes Streeting previously apologized to victims, acknowledging that 'the state got it wrong.' He urged those affected to consult their GPs. Susie Martin, whose mother took DES, shared her extensive personal suffering, including numerous operations and ongoing health anxieties. She emphasized the need for concrete action beyond meetings, specifically a screening program and a full statutory public inquiry.

Clare Fletcher, representing DJUK, stressed that this is one of the UK's most significant pharmaceutical scandals. She highlighted that victims continue to suffer today, making it a current injustice rather than a purely historical one. Unlike the US and Netherlands, the UK currently lacks a compensation scheme for DES victims, a gap DJUK aims to address through their advocacy for justice and fair treatment for those affected.