An investigation conducted by ITV’s Tonight Programme has revealed, for the first time, British Health Authorities admit they ‘failed’ women over the historic prescription of Diethylstilbestrol (DES).
The programme, presented by Sarah Corker, shows mounting evidence of its catastrophic effects was ignored or downplayed in the UK. The result? Generations of women and families have endured preventable suffering, a grim testament to institutional failure.
Despite early warnings about the drug’s dangers, British health authorities failed to act decisively to protect the public. Unlike their counterparts in other countries, they did not establish a national screening program for those exposed to DES, nor did they provide guidance to medical professionals to cease prescribing it promptly.
The admission by regulators that doctors were never formally advised to stop using DES is not just a bureaucratic oversight, it is a glaring moral failing that allowed unnecessary harm to continue.
Even as evidence mounted linking DES to reproductive cancers, infertility, and mental health trauma, British authorities were slow to recognise the full scale of the risk. The failure to establish national healthcare programs or compensation funds in the UK has left victims without systematic support, compounding their suffering and undermining public trust.
This reluctance to act decisively contrasts sharply with countries like the Netherlands, where legal action and compensation programs were put in place to support victims. There have been proactive legal rulings, a multi-million euro compensation fund, and dedicated medical care programmes for those affected.
Clare Fletcher, Partner at Broudie Jackson Canter, is representing UK DES victims and has called for a full-scale inquiry:
“This is a government failure and a systemic failure. A state compensation fund should be made available for those men and women who have been through unspeakable trauma, infertility, and cancers.”
The failure of British health authorities to act robustly is not merely a matter of past negligence, but an ongoing ethical issue demanding attention. The story of DES in the UK is ultimately a cautionary tale about the consequences of drug regulation and the imperative for robust public health systems.
Only through accountability and decisive action can the wounds of the past begin to heal, and future tragedies be averted.
If you or someone you love has been affected by DES, visit our DES Justice UK page to fill in the questionnaire and join the fight.