This article is from the source 'bbc' and was first published or seen on . It will not be checked again for changes.
You can find the current article at its original source at http://news.bbc.co.uk/go/rss/-/1/hi/health/8458855.stm
The article has changed 12 times. There is an RSS feed of changes available.
| Version 2 | Version 3 |
|---|---|
| Apology for thalidomide survivors | Apology for thalidomide survivors |
| (10 minutes later) | |
| The government has apologised to the victims of the thalidomide scandal after agreeing a £20m support package. | |
| Health minister Mike O'Brien expressed his "deep sympathy" in an oral statement to MPs after announcing the compensation package in December. | |
| Pregnant women were prescribed the drug in the 1950s and 1960s as a treatment for morning sickness or insomnia. | Pregnant women were prescribed the drug in the 1950s and 1960s as a treatment for morning sickness or insomnia. |
| It was withdrawn from sale in 1961 after babies were born with limb deformities and other damage. | It was withdrawn from sale in 1961 after babies were born with limb deformities and other damage. |
| The drug's UK manufacturer, Distillers Biochemicals, paid around £28m compensation in the 1970s following a legal battle by the families of those affected. | The drug's UK manufacturer, Distillers Biochemicals, paid around £28m compensation in the 1970s following a legal battle by the families of those affected. |
| This has been subsequently topped up over the years by successor companies, although the average payout to the 466 survivors in the UK remains below £20,000 a year. | This has been subsequently topped up over the years by successor companies, although the average payout to the 466 survivors in the UK remains below £20,000 a year. |
| The government funding is on top of this and will be shared out over the next three years. | The government funding is on top of this and will be shared out over the next three years. |
| It reflects the fact that survivors are living longer than expected and as a result will have increasing health needs. | It reflects the fact that survivors are living longer than expected and as a result will have increasing health needs. |
| The Thalidomide Trust, which distributes aid to sufferers, welcomed the new government support package last month as a "real benefit". | The Thalidomide Trust, which distributes aid to sufferers, welcomed the new government support package last month as a "real benefit". |
| The UK was the second biggest user of the drug after Germany. About 2,000 babies were born with problems linked to the drug with half of them dying within months of birth. | The UK was the second biggest user of the drug after Germany. About 2,000 babies were born with problems linked to the drug with half of them dying within months of birth. |
| Another 5,000 were born elsewhere in the world. | Another 5,000 were born elsewhere in the world. |