Woman re-applies for thalidomide benefit 30 years after refusal

The Department of Health is considering the application of a woman who believes she should be receiving thalidomide benefit, more than 30 years after her mother's application on her behalf was turned down.

The woman, now in her 40s, re-applied on her own behalf to the department to receive the long-term benefit, after a consultant in Britain confirmed that she suffered thalidomide symptoms.

The drug was prescribed to pregnant women for morning sickness from 1957 to 1962, but was withdrawn after thousands of children born subsequently suffered major limb deformities.

Thirty four children in Ireland were confirmed in 1973 as suffering thalidomide symptoms.

"Her mother never got a prescription for the drug. Her doctor gave it to her directly," said Olwyn Enright, Fine Gael TD for Laois-Offaly, in whose constituency the applicant lives.

"The problem they had is that applicants for the benefit required prescription proof and her mother did not have that.

"But a consultant in England has confirmed that her symptoms are consistent with thalidomide," said Ms Enright who has raised the issue with Minister for Health Mary Harney.

The department's attention had been drawn "to a person who believes that they were affected by the thalidomide drug. My department is currently considering this matter," said Ms Harney in a written reply to a parliamentary question.

"If the department is considering the issue, they need to discuss it with her, but they haven't contacted her," Ms Enright said.

"I do think she's genuine and it has been difficult for her. She's looking after herself now and there are lots of things she cannot do, but she has remained very positive and just got on with it."

Ms Enright added that "she's gone without the benefit for a long time. She shouldn't have to wait any longer."

The drug is understood to have been available under numerous names including Softenon, the drug the applicant's mother received, which resulted in deformities in her arms.

Outlining the history of thalidomide, Ms Harney said varieties of the drug were marketed in Ireland from May 1959 to January 1962, when they were withdrawn from sale by the manufacturers in Germany.

In 1970 the German manufacturers offered compensation to children affected by the drug and in 1973 the Government decided to provide additional financial assistance. It set up the Irish Thalidomide Medical Board which concluded that 34 children were affected by the drug.

One of the 34 received compensation under a British scheme because her mother was prescribed the drug while living there. Each of the remaining 33 children was granted a lump sum and a monthly allowance for life.

The drug was available in almost 50 countries and 15,000 babies were believed to have been affected. Some 12,000 were born worldwide with birth defects, of whom 8,000 survived beyond the age of one.