Government waited six months to issue Thalidomide warning
New information has come to light revealing that the government failed to issue a public warning on the dangers of thalidamide in the 1960s, which may have led to up to 9 Irish babies being adversely affected by it.
An investigation by RTE's Prime Time has found the government failed to issue a public warning until June 1962 - more than six months after the drug was withdrawn because of concerns that it caused deformities in babies.
The drug was used to treat morning sickness for pregnant women.
The papers reveal the governent at the time decided that a public warning was "undesirable".
Journalist Olivia O'Leary told Prime Time that this raises some serious questions, and survivors deserve answers.
"Thalidomide brought in… all the testing that goes in to make sure drugs are safe. And who took the hit for that?"
"There are only 32 of them, and I think it's our duty to thank them for what they did - because they did make the world safer for all of us."
