Government commissions new research into DES pregnancy drug impact
The government has commissioned new research into the long-term health impacts of the pregnancy drug DES (diethylstilbestrol) following an investigation by ITV News.
The Full Story
A plain summary built from the channels that reported this story.
The government has commissioned new research into the long-term health impacts of the pregnancy drug diethylstilbestrol (DES), following an investigation by ITV News. DES was prescribed to thousands of pregnant women between the 1940s and 1980s to prevent miscarriage, but it left a devastating trail of rare cancers and infertility in the children of those who took it. The drug was given out on the NHS to an estimated 300,000 women, and some babies were effectively poisoned in the womb.
Now, ministers have asked the University of Exeter to lead a research project into the intergenerational impact of DES over the next six months. The study will also help determine whether lifelong cancer screening is needed. NHS England has set up a DES advisory group made up of senior clinicians to ensure women receive the right treatment. The medicines regulator has been asked to find medical records detailing exactly how many women were given the drug.
One of those affected is Susie Martin, who was poisoned in the womb and has had lifelong gynaecological problems. She said doctors told her she is 40 times more likely to get cancer than people not exposed to DES. "It's not just reproductive cancers, it's breast cancer. There's also evidence of pancreatic cancer. I've got all that worry hanging over you. You're suddenly going to get some life debilitating illness," she said.
Her mother, Jennifer Bradley, was prescribed DES in 1970 and told it was completely safe, despite mounting scientific evidence of its dangers. When she raised concerns, her doctor dismissed them. "He wouldn't even look at my notes and he completely dismissed it. And he said that you don't worry about things that may never happen. You may walk out of here and go under a bus," she said.
The investigation found that warnings about the dangers of the drug were ignored by the authorities for decades. Campaigners have called for a structured screening system like those in France, the Netherlands and the United States, where routine screening is carried out by experts who know what to look for and can give patients the information they need. For those who have been dismissed and disbelieved for decades, the new research could be life-changing.
On screen
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Key Claims
Claims reported during this story's coverage, mapped by channel. Ordered by how many channels carried each claim.
| Claim | ITV |
|---|---|
| DES was prescribed to pregnant women from the 1940s to 1980s to prevent miscarriage, with an estimated 300,000 given the drug on the NHS. | |
| Jennifer Bradley was told stilbestrol (DES) was completely safe. | |
| NHS England has set up a DES advisory group made up of senior clinicians. | |
| The University of Exeter will lead a six-month research project into the intergenerational impact of DES. |
Channel Perspectives
What each channel focused on, with key quotes.
This broadcast focused on the scale of the problem, noting that an estimated 300,000 women were given DES on the NHS. It highlighted the need for a structured screening system similar to other countries and presented the research as a potential turning point for those affected. The tone was forward-looking and factual, with a strong emphasis on the government's new actions.
- “I've got all that worry hanging over you. You're suddenly going to get some life debilitating illness.”
- “We should have a structured system like in other countries, in France, the Netherlands and the USA.”
This broadcast emphasised the historical failure of authorities, noting that DES was prescribed even after its damaging side effects were known. It gave more space to the emotional impact on families, including the mother's guilt and fury. The tone was more investigative and personal, reflecting the channel's long-running investigation into the drug.
- “He wouldn't even look at my notes and he completely dismissed it.”
- “I was absolutely furious, but also I just feel so guilty and so sad about it, you know, that this has happened.”
Broadcast Timeline
News broadcasts tracked for this story, in time order.