Medical disaster caused 10,000 malformed children

Thalidomide is advertised as a sedative, relief of unpleasant morning sickness, and can be used by pregnant women, allegedly responsible for birth defects of more than 10,000 children in many countries.

Speaking on AFP over the weekend, Harald Stock, Executive Director of Grunenthal Pharmaceutical Group (Thalidomide drug maker) has officially apologized for the scandal. The company then built a monument to Thalidomide's victims in Stolberg, West Germany, where the company is based.

Many children have congenital malformations caused by women
Thalidomide drug during pregnancy. (Photo: AFP)

The victims of the "Thalidomide disaster" did not accept Grunenthal's empty apology, while the company did not elaborate on compensation. Thalidomide victim claim organization also requires the pharmaceutical business to have a " more practical action" .

One of the tens of thousands of Thalidomide victims, Mr. Astbury (born 1959 in Chester) was born with amputated limbs due to his mother taking this medication during pregnancy. Mr. Astbury said: "If they seriously take the blame and really regret what happened, the need to do it right now is to help us, the victims who have been badly financially affected." .

Freddie Astbury, the representative of Thalidomide Victims' Association, the organization fighting for the rights of drug-affected people in the UK also condemned Grunenthal's actions. Freddie suggests that pharmaceutical companies must "put their money in their mouths" (ie compensation) rather than just apologizing.

The World Health Organization constantly recommends
The harmful effects of this "medicinal drug". (Photo: AFP)

According to Sciencemuseum, the Thalidomide scandal is the darkest "disaster" in the history of world pharmaceutical research and manufacturing. This type of "medicinal god of disease" has been marketed since the 1950s, and it is estimated that in less than 10 years there were 10,000 children with deformities, legless, amputated, blind . because the mother had Use Thalidomide during pregnancy.

Currently about 5,000 to 6,000 victims of the "disaster" Thalidomide are alive and continue to fight for damages.

Strongly opposed by the community, Thalidomide is still widely sold on the market today and is recognized for its treatment of leprosy, HIV and some bone marrow cancers. The World Health Organization constantly recommends side effects of this drug causing birth defects.