Jessica Toale backing calls for inquiry into DES scandal - EUROPE SAYS
Jessica Toale, the Labour MP for Bournemouth West, is backing campaigners’ demands for a full investigation into the Diethylstilbestrol (DES) scandal, which she has described as ‘the greatest pharmaceutical. . .
Jessica Toale, the Labour MP for Bournemouth West, is backing campaigners’ demands for a full investigation into the Diethylstilbestrol (DES) scandal, which she has described as ‘the greatest pharmaceutical scandal of our time’. DES was an anti-miscarriage drug prescribed to pregnant women until the 1970s and later found to be linked to cancer, fertility problems, and other serious long-term health issues affecting multiple generations. Ms Toale said: “This is the greatest pharmaceutical scandal of our time. This week, Jessica Toale MP welcomed DES Justice campaigners back to Parliament for a meeting with the Minister for Health and Innovation and the first parliamentary adjournment debate dedicated to DES. (Image: Jessica Toale MP)“A drug developed in Britain, prescribed to hundreds of thousands of women, linked to cancer, infertility and serious reproductive harm, with consequences that reach across generations. “Families have suffered in silence for too long. ”The MP began campaigning on the issue after meeting constituent Jan Hall, whose mother Rita died of breast cancer in her 30s. Ms Hall and her daughters have since suffered decades of health complications believed to be related to the drug. Ms Toale has since worked with DES Justice campaigners to raise awareness in Parliament. She led a cross-party letter to Health Secretary Wes Streeting, signed by 37 MPs, calling for improved screening, better NHS training, and expanded research into the drug’s effects. The Health Secretary has since issued a public apology on behalf of the Department of Health and Social Care and pledged to improve support for those affected by DES exposure. Earlier this week, Ms Toale welcomed DES Justice campaigners to Parliament for a meeting with the Minister for Health and Innovation and the first parliamentary adjournment debate dedicated to DES. Campaigners have said that despite recent progress, more action is needed to ensure clinical awareness, and appropriate support and screening for those affected. Ms Toale has now joined campaigners in calling for a national inquiry to fully understand the scale and impact of DES in the UK. She said: “I want to pay tribute to the strength and determination of DES campaigners and affected families. “Their work has already led to important progress, and we must no longer ignore their suffering. ”This week, Jessica Toale MP welcomed DES Justice campaigners back to Parliament for a meeting with the Minister for Health and Innovation and the first parliamentary adjournment debate dedicated to DES. (Image: Jessica Toale MP)Highlighting the chance for meaningful change, Ms Toale said she hopes an inquiry will finally give affected families the answers they deserve. She said: “There is now a real opportunity to improve awareness and ensure that people affected by DES receive the recognition they deserve. “I am backing their call for a national inquiry, so families who have waited decades can finally get the answers and support they need. ”