England’s Patient Safety Commissioner (PSC), Dr. Henrietta Hughes, is pressing Parliament to provide urgent financial assistance to individuals and families devastated by the Sodium Valproate and Pelvic Mesh scandals.
What is Sodium Valproate?
Sodium valproate is a medication effective in treating conditions like epilepsy and bipolar disorder.
However, if taken during pregnancy, it carries significant risks. For decades, there was a lack of proper warnings to women about these dangers.
As a result, an estimated 20,000 children were exposed to the drug in the womb, and now live with neurodevelopmental disorders, including autism.
Pelvic Mesh: Understanding the device and the complications
Pelvic mesh is a net-like implant that was historically considered the leading treatment for incontinence and prolapse in women. However, this device has been found to cause severe complications.
The mesh can erode or harden, cutting into surrounding tissues and leading to significant pain. These life-altering complications have resulted in thousands of women experiencing loss of mobility, damaged relationships, and job loss.
Decades of neglect: Valproate and Pelvic Mesh scandals
Despite scientific papers from the 1980s flagging the dangers of valproate medicines to developing babies, warnings were not added to packaging until 2016.
This delay has led to devastating consequences for many families, who have campaigned for decades to raise awareness, seek compensation, and demand a public inquiry.
The government asked Patient Safety Commissioner Dr. Hughes to investigate potential compensation schemes for those affected by the valproate scandal, as well as the scandal involving pelvic mesh implants.
Around 10,000 women were injured by these implants, which were used to treat pelvic organ prolapse (POP) and incontinence. Some women were left with permanent pain, unable to walk, work, or have sex.
While figures show 127,000 mesh implants were used between April 2008 and March 2017, campaigners believe the actual number is higher.Dr. Hughes has recommended initial payments of £100,000 for victims of the sodium valproate scandal and £20,000 for women injured by mesh implants.
These initial payments would be followed by further financial and non-financial assistance for victims and their families.
Valproate Scandal: “Bigger than Thalidomide”
Dr. Hughes, (the PSC), told the BBC that she considers the sodium valproate scandal to be “bigger than thalidomide.”
This comparison refers to the severe birth defects caused by the morning-sickness drug thalidomide, licensed in the UK in the 1950s. Despite this, approximately three babies are still born each month with developmental disorders and physical abnormalities due to foetal exposure to the drug.
Many parents have had to give up their jobs and businesses to care for their children born with disabilities due to foetal valproate syndrome, as these individuals are often unable to work or care for themselves as adults.
Dr. Hughes emphasized that a redress scheme is “a question of justice” for families who have been “fighting for years or even decades.” She warned that failing to help these victims would demonstrate “a callous disregard for the pain and suffering” they have endured.
While Dr. Hughes’s remit is limited to England, government departments in Wales, Scotland, and Northern Ireland have indicated they will consider her findings.
Pelvic Mesh: An avoidable agony
A 2020 review found that the severe pain and suffering from pelvic mesh implants were completely avoidable. These issues stemmed from failures within the health system and a disregard for warnings from affected families.
Dr. Hughes told the BBC that many women injured by the mesh are now in wheelchairs and face exorbitant costs for hospital travel, calling it “adding insult to injury.” Health Secretary Victoria Atkins stated on BBC Breakfast that the government has “listened to women who have gone through this horrific ordeal.”
She assured that ministers are reviewing Dr. Hughes’s report “very, very carefully” and that the government will take time to develop “meaningful recommendations and proposals” in response to both the mesh and valproate scandals.
Patient Safety Commissioner updates on Valproate and Pelvic Mesh Redress
The Patient Safety Commissioner (PSC) has announced that she received a letter from the new Minister for Patient Safety, confirming the government is actively reviewing her recommendations for redress for those harmed by valproate and pelvic mesh.
Dr. Hughes expressed her understanding of patient anxiety following the General Election and welcomed the continuation of work on a detailed response to her report under the new government. She reiterated the paramount importance of listening directly to patients to truly grasp the devastating impact of the harm they have experienced.
The PSC also affirmed her ongoing support to all government departments in their efforts to advance her recommendations, anticipating a full response for patients as soon as possible.
Latest Developments
As of 9th August 2024, new measures are now in place regarding valproate.
The drug should not be prescribed to new patients under 55, regardless of gender, unless two specialists independently confirm and document that no other effective treatment is available or tolerated, or if there are compelling reasons why reproductive risks do not apply.
For pelvic mesh complications, nine specialist mesh centres are operating across England. These centres ensure women in every region with complications from mesh inserted for urinary incontinence and vaginal prolapse receive appropriate support.
A multidisciplinary team leads each centre to provide access to the specialized care and treatment patients need. NHS England is collaborating with these centres to review outcomes and patient experience, ensuring they are effectively supporting patients.
They are also working with advocacy groups like Sling the Mesh and the Rectopexy Mesh Victims and Support Group.
While these important changes have been implemented, we are still awaiting further updates from Parliament.
Further information:
Mesh and sodium valproate scandal victims need payouts soon, report says.
PSC receives letter from the new Minister for Patient Safety on the Hughes report regarding Redress Scheme.
Oakwood Solicitors: Mother Birthing Injuries.
Oakwood Solicitors: Child Birthing Injuries.
WHAT TO DO NEXT
If you have fallen a victim to suffering form TVT and Sodium Valproate, understand your rights and options to gain compensation and support.
Get in touch today for a no-obligation consultation. Choose one of the methods on the right-hand side of this page, or call us on 0113 486 2528 to find out how we can help you.
Carol Cook joined Oakwood Solicitors in May 2017 to lead the Medical Negligence Department.
Carol handles a wide range of clinical, cosmetic and dental negligence claims and has years of experi…
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