Overview
- More than 300 people have formed DES Justice UK to seek a statutory public inquiry into diethylstilbestrol’s use and its handling in Britain.
- The Department of Health and Social Care says the health secretary has asked NHS England to ensure GPs follow updated guidance so eligible patients receive additional screening.
- The MHRA acknowledged a 1973 Committee on Medicines Safety letter did not explicitly contraindicate DES in pregnancy and issued an apology for the error.
- DES was linked in 1971 to clear cell adenocarcinoma in daughters exposed in utero, yet it continued to be prescribed to pregnant women in parts of Europe until 1978.
- Campaigners cite multigenerational harms and note that compensation schemes exist in the US and the Netherlands, whereas the UK has no dedicated redress program.