Prime Minister Andy Burnham has pledged to work with campaigners to get justice for families affected by the Primodos hormone pregnancy test scandal.

Speaking at Prime Minister’s Questions on 21 October, Mr Burnham paid tribute to Marie Lyon, chair of the Association for Children Damaged by Hormone Pregnancy Tests, who has campaigned for affected families for decades.

Justice

‘Marie Lyon has been an incredible, indomitable fighter for women affected by Primodos. I pay full tribute to her,’ he said.

‘I can say from this despatch box today, as Prime Minister, I will work with Marie, I’ll work with my Honourable Friend [Yasmin Qureshi MP] to get justice for the Primodos victims.’

About Primodos

Primodos was a hormone pregnancy test given to women in the UK and elsewhere between 1958 and 1978. The two-tablet test was cheap, quick and reliable, but had never been tested in pregnant women.

From the late 1960s, doctors, researchers and families raised concerns that it could increase the risk of miscarriage and serious birth defects, including cleft lip, spinal deformities, heart defects and spina bifida. Despite these warnings, it continued to be given to millions of women until it was withdrawn in 1978.

Marie’s daughter Sarah was born in 1970 with her left arm missing below the elbow. Eight years later, Marie learned that the two Primodos tablets her GP had given her as a pregnancy test were responsible.

Fight to be heard

Now 80, Marie is determined that affected families will be heard.

In July, Dr Louise Newson spoke at a session of the All-Party Parliamentary Group on Primodos, explaining the differences between natural and synthetic hormone treatments.

Primodos contained the synthetic hormones ethinylestradiol and norethisterone, both still prescribed to millions of women today in the combined contraceptive pill and for heavy periods and endometriosis.

Listen to the latest episode of the Dr Louise Newson Podcast, where Dr Louise talks to Marie Lyon about her story, here.

Read and subscribe to Dr Louise’s new Substack, The Third Opinion, about the Primodos scandal here.