Mims Davies MP spoke out at this week’s Prime Minister’s Questions on behalf of her constituent, Charlotte Fensome, raising concerns about the historic use of Primodos as a hormone pregnancy test and its causal links with birth defects.
Mims was delighted to secure an acknowledgement from the Prime Minister, the Rt. Hon. Theresa May MP, on this serious matter, along with an invitation to discuss this matter further outside of the Commons.
Commenting, Mims said,
‘Meeting with Charlotte at a constituency surgery, hearing about her experiences caring for her brother, who is unable to walk, talk, or feed himself, and subsequently joining an all-party group on the issue while lobbying ministers, has been incredibly eye-opening.’
‘It is shocking that these hormone pills contained the equivalent of 40 contraceptive pills taken today, and that families like Charlotte’s have had to suffer such far reaching consequences as a result.’
‘I met Charlotte again this summer and was determined to continue to work on getting justice for affected families as soon as I was back in Westminster - and I took the opportunity at the first Prime Minister’s Questions this week.’
In the Chamber, Mims asked,
‘In the 1960s and 1970s, thousands of women were prescribed Primodos as a pregnancy test, which resulted in a profound impact on the babies that followed.’
‘Alongside caring for elderly parents, my constituent Charlotte Fensome cares for her brother Steven, who was profoundly affected.’
‘Does the Prime Minister agree that those families now deserve justice and that there should be a chance to launch a public inquiry into this terrible scandal?’
The Prime Minister responded,
‘My hon. Friend has raised an important issue, and she is absolutely right to do so. We should recognise the impact that this had on those women who took this hormone pregnancy test during pregnancy from the late 1950s into the 1970s—I believe 1978 was the last time.’
‘An expert working group has been set up to look into this issue and it is due to publish its findings in the autumn, but I would be very happy to meet my hon. Friend to discuss this issue with her.’
Mims will continue to raise this issue with Government, and looks forward to reporting back to her Eastleigh constituents who have contacted her about this ongoing matter.