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Lives ruined as damage viewed as 'women's problems' Lives ruined as damage viewed as 'women's problems'
(about 3 hours later)
Many lives have been ruined because officials failed to hear the concerns of women given drugs and procedures that caused them or their babies considerable harm, says a review.Many lives have been ruined because officials failed to hear the concerns of women given drugs and procedures that caused them or their babies considerable harm, says a review.
More than 700 women and their families shared "harrowing" details about vaginal mesh, Primodos and an epilepsy drug called sodium valproate. More than 700 women and their families shared "harrowing" details about vaginal mesh, pregnancy test Primodos and epilepsy drug sodium valproate.
Too often worries and complaints were dismissed as "women's problems".Too often worries and complaints were dismissed as "women's problems".
It says arrogant attitudes left women traumatised, intimidated and confused. It said arrogant attitudes left women traumatised, intimidated and confused.
June Wray, 73 and from Newcastle, experienced chronic pain after having a vaginal mesh procedure in 2009. Review chair Baroness Julia Cumberlege said she was shocked by the "sheer scale" and "intensity of suffering".
"Sometimes the pain is so severe, I feel like I will pass out. She said: "I have conducted many reviews and inquiries over the years, but I have never encountered anything like this.
"But when I told GPs and surgeons, they didn't believe me. They just looked at me like I was mad." "Much of this suffering was entirely avoidable, caused and compounded by failings in the health system itself."
The chairwoman of the highly critical review, Baroness Julia Cumberlege, said the families affected deserved a fulsome apology from the government. She said even now the exact numbers of women affected by the three issues was still not known and praised campaigners for fighting to raise the problems.
She said: "I have conducted many reviews and inquiries over the years, but I have never encountered anything like this; the intensity of suffering experienced by so many families, and the fact that they have endured it for decades. Much of this suffering was entirely avoidable, caused and compounded by failings in the health system itself."
Marie Lyon was prescribed Primodos when she was pregnant with her daughter, who was born with a shortened arm. She began campaigning in 1978 and said the review was a "relief that there has finally been an acknowledgement" of the situation.
Mrs Lyon, chairwoman of the Association for Children Damaged by Hormone Pregnancy Tests, said there was also "great sadness" that many of the original campaign members were not alive to see the result of the review.
She described Baroness Cumberlege as "a very brave lady" for producing "such a hard-hitting, truthful review of what's actually happening to women".
Health Minister Nadine Dorries said she was determined to make the changes needed to protect women in the future.
"Our health system must learn from those it has failed. We will now give this independent review the full and careful consideration it deserves before setting out our full response."
The cases span decades and are thought to affect hundreds of thousands of women and babies.The cases span decades and are thought to affect hundreds of thousands of women and babies.
The review looked at three treatments:The review looked at three treatments:
The review talks of missed opportunities when something could or should have been done to prevent harm. The review has set out the missed opportunities when something could or should have been done to prevent harm.
It says there was a culture of denial by a disjointed and defensive healthcare system that failed to listen to patients' concerns. It said there was a culture of denial by a disjointed and defensive healthcare system that failed to listen to patients' concerns.
"The system, and those that oversee it, need to acknowledge what has gone so badly wrong." Hundreds of babies are being born each year to mothers "unaware" of the risks that sodium valproate can pose in pregnancy, said the review.
Hundreds of babies are being born each year to mothers "unaware" of the risks that sodium valproate can pose in pregnancy, says the review.
While some women have benefited from mesh implants, others have been left in agony.While some women have benefited from mesh implants, others have been left in agony.
The review warns against pushing innovative treatments without enough long-term monitoring, and criticises manufacturers for being motivated by sales ahead of safety. The patients whose lives have been ruined
And it recommends: June Wray, 73 and from Newcastle, experienced chronic pain after having a vaginal mesh procedure in 2009.
"Sometimes the pain is so severe, I feel like I will pass out," she said.
"But when I told GPs and surgeons, they didn't believe me. They just looked at me like I was mad."
Kate Langley had a mesh fitted in 2012 for incontinence problems.
She said it had had a massive impact on her life, leading to more than 50 admissions to hospital when she was in acute pain.
"It was so hard to deal with. Years of going from one doctor to another."
She has now had four operations to remove the mesh.
Marie Lyon was prescribed Primodos when she was pregnant with her daughter, who was born with a shortened arm.
She began campaigning in 1978 and said the review was a "relief that there has finally been an acknowledgement" of the situation.
Mrs Lyon, chairwoman of the Association for Children Damaged by Hormone Pregnancy Tests, said there was also "great sadness" that many of the original campaign members were not alive to see the result of the review.
What needs to happen now?
The review warned against pushing innovative treatments without enough long-term monitoring, and criticises manufacturers for being motivated by sales ahead of safety.
And it recommended:
Kath Sansom, founder of Sling the Mesh campaign and a mother of two, said: "The report is hard hitting and recognises the total failure in patient safety, regulation and oversight in the UK.Kath Sansom, founder of Sling the Mesh campaign and a mother of two, said: "The report is hard hitting and recognises the total failure in patient safety, regulation and oversight in the UK.
"It also makes it very clear that our medical establishment is deeply entrenched in institutional denial and misogyny."It also makes it very clear that our medical establishment is deeply entrenched in institutional denial and misogyny.
"While we welcome all of the recommendations, there is no glory in knowing thousands of women have been maimed by mesh since the late 1990s then ignored when they asked for help suffering debilitating, life altering and irreversible pain.""While we welcome all of the recommendations, there is no glory in knowing thousands of women have been maimed by mesh since the late 1990s then ignored when they asked for help suffering debilitating, life altering and irreversible pain."
Epilepsy Action deputy chief executive Simon Wigglesworth said: "Nothing can undo the avoidable harm and distress that has been caused by the decades of government silence and inaction. However, with the publication of the report and these recommendations, we can now start to move forward. Epilepsy Action deputy chief executive Simon Wigglesworth said: "Nothing can undo the avoidable harm and distress that has been caused by the decades of government silence and inaction."
"As well as providing support to those families already affected, it is important to ensure that all women and girls taking this medication are aware of the risks, and able to make an informed choice about whether or not to take valproate." Health Minister Nadine Dorries said she was determined to make the changes needed to protect women in the future.
"Our health system must learn from those it has failed.
"We will now give this independent review the full and careful consideration it deserves before setting out our full response."