Survivors of The Science’s Safe and Effective Thalidomide Still Looking for Justice

Not all medication is perfect, okay?

In fact, only one medication ever in history was perfect: the Pfizer coronavirus vaccine.

RT:

“Look what happened last time I took a tablet.”

Those devastating words broke the heart of Trish Jackson, as her 94-year-old mother steadfastly refused to take medication in her nursing home. Now an artist, Jackson from Queensland, Australia is one of 3,000 global survivors of the drug thalidomide.

Sometimes sold under the brand name Distaval, it was marketed between 1957 and 1961 as a cure for pregnancy morning sickness and a non-addictive sleeping tablet, and was claimed to be safe for all. Sadly, that wasn’t the case, and it was found to cause significant birth defects.

Jackson’s mother, Margaret, didn’t know she was pregnant when she went to a doctor complaining of migraines. Jackson, 59, said, “He gave mum an injection and threw a packet of Distaval across the table and said ‘Here, take this, it might help with the vomiting.’ His last words were, ‘at least they won’t hurt you.’

Her mother took one tablet, but returned soon after.

Jackson continued, “She realised she was pregnant after the news broke about thalidomide. She went back to the doctor only to find he had destroyed all her medical records. He absolutely denied mum was ever a patient of his.”

Fast forward nine months and Jackson was born with no arms, with her hands, which have three fingers, joined to her shoulders. She said, “I was whisked away and mum didn’t see me for three days, as the doctors decided I was too grossly deformed for her to love me. The doctors said to mum: ‘The kindest thing you can do for Trish is take her home and smother her.’”

At the same time, something similar was unfolding in Sussex, England. Mikey Argy’s mother took the drug to help her sleep in December 1961, having been given it by a doctor. Argy, also 59, said, “The drug had come off the market in November, but it wasn’t publicised until May 1962. They [her parents] went to the pharmacy to get more medication and they said, ‘It’s been taken off the shelves, it’s dangerous.’ My mum knew something was wrong, but everyone said, ‘Don’t be so ridiculous, it’s a one in a million chance.’” After being born, Argy was also taken away due to her half-length arms and club hands with four fingers.

Other tragic stories abound. Many pregnancies were terminated by the drug, and others who were born didn’t make it to puberty. Estimates suggest around 100,000 thalidomide babies were born globally.

Today, there is frustration and anger that German manufacturer Grünenthal has stonewalled attempts by the survivors to get justice. “That is the seething, silent rage that drives many of us completely crazy. There is a rage that comes out of nowhere from many of our people. It’s the unadmitted guilt of companies and the crimes committed against us,” said Argy.

What would constitute justice? Looking straight into her webcam, Argy loses her smiley disposition for a second and offers a view of the original Grünenthal executives many would struggle to disagree with. “They should go to prison for it, and the people who’ve taken over from the people who did it should go to prison – because they’ve continued denying it.”

Nothing like this could ever happen with the coronavirus vaccine.

If it could happen, then the government wouldn’t be forcing you to take it.