Women given an epilepsy drug were victims of an “extraordinary scandal”, says an MP.
Former care minister Norman Lamb says anti-epilepsy drug sodium valproate has done “incalculable damage” to women who took it while pregnant.
There are claims of a link between the drug and learning and physical disabilities, including autism, in children.
Norman Lamb: the former care minister says mothers were unaware of the risks of using sodium valproate
The claims are that up to 20,000 children have developed foetal anti-convulsant syndrome (FACS), which is a group of physical and learning disabilities.
‘Not told of epilepsy drug risks’
Campaign group Foetal Anti-Convulsant Syndrome Association (FACSA) says pregnant women given the drug were not told of its risks.
In 2016, FACSA successfully campaigned for the drug to carry warnings on packaging left off when introduced in the early 1970s.
Research suggests that disabilities, including autism, that sodium valproate has caused could pass through generations.
Call for public enquiry
FACSA wants a public enquiry and compensation.
Emma Murphy is the co-founder of FACSA. Murphy, 36, has epilepsy and takes sodium valproate.
She says the drug left all six of her children with FACS.
Murphy said that medical regulator the Committee on Safety of Medicines made a “conscious decision” when introducing the drug not to inform patients of the risks.
Lamb, the MP for Norfolk, told BBC documentary Inside Out there was a decision to “hide” the risks from mothers.
Dr June Raine is the director of the Medicines and Healthcare products Regulatory Agency.
She said the agency was working to “reduce the risks”.
‘Sometimes the only effective treatment’
Drugs firm Sanofi, which makes sodium valproate, said the medication is “sometimes the only effective treatment” for epilepsy.
Sanofi insisted that the drug, also used in treating bipolar disorder, has “at all times” carried a warning.
Autism Eye contacted the Department of Health, but it did not respond.
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Published: 31 January 2018
