A once common pregnancy drug, prescribed to millions of women worldwide for decades before being discontinued, continues to wreak havoc across generations.
The drug, diethylstilbestrol, or DES, was a hormonal drug meant to prevent complications like miscarriage but has since been linked to a range of devastating effects, including cancers, premature births, miscarriages, and ectopic pregnancies.
A recent investigation in the U.K. has reignited calls for legal action, as hundreds of women, now known as DES daughters, reveal the lasting damage they have suffered after being exposed to the medication in the womb.
According to the National Cancer Institute in the U.S., DES daughters are about 40 times more likely to develop a rare vaginal cancer known as clear cell adenocarcinoma and are nearly twice as likely to develop breast cancer after the age of 40. Research also suggests an increased risk of pancreatic cancer and a higher likelihood of severe cervical cell changes.
DES was discontinued in the U.S. in 1971 after researchers noted shocking links to cancer while the drug continued to be prescribed to pregnant women in Europe until 1978.
In a recent ITV News investigation involving over 100 DES daughters whose mothers were prescribed the drug through the U.K.’s NHS, many shared the devastating impact it has had on their lives. They are now calling for greater awareness, routine screening, and compensation, warning that thousands more women may still be unaware of their exposure and the risks.
“It’s a pain that no woman should have to go through, it’s been barbaric at times. I’ve been in hospital for procedures or operations every year for the last 25 years,” said a 56-year-old DES daughter, Suzanne Massey from Liverpool who has undergone more than 30 medical procedures told the news outlet. Massey, who has been left unable to walk at times due to severe pain, is now preparing to take legal action.
Dr Ahmed Talaat, a gynecologist at the University Hospitals Plymouth NHS Trust who has treated 12 DES daughters emphasizes the importance of continuous monitoring and regular screenings to ensure early detection and prevention of potential health complications.
“The risk of cancer including cancer of vagina, or the cervix is nearly doubled in patients whose mothers received DES. That’s why they should be under close observation. Regular screening,” he said.
In the U.S., many DES daughters have sought legal recourse against the pharmaceutical companies that produced the drug, successfully securing compensation. They are also advised to undergo regular medical screenings, including gynecological exams and mammograms, to monitor for health issues linked to DES exposure.
In contrast, no similar legal victories have occurred in the U.K., primarily due to poor NHS record-keeping and the widespread, often casual, distribution of the drug. As a result, many women in the U.K. may never know if they were exposed to DES or be able to prove its impact on their health.
