Over how many generations has Distilbene, this drug supposed to prevent miscarriages distributed until 1977, claimed victims? A new study conducted by the DES France Network and unveiled this Thursday by The Parisian shows that the granddaughters of patients who were prescribed the drug more than half a century ago could still suffer consequences, including genital defects.
At least 160,000 children exposed
Distilbene is the trade name for a synthetic hormone prescribed in France from 1950 to pregnant women to prevent miscarriages, the risks of prematurity and to treat hemorrhages in pregnancy. Suspected of toxicity in studies from 1953, Distilbene actually caused cancer and affected the reproductive system. It was banned from marketing in 1977.
According to the DES France network, which supports the victims of this drug, at least 160,000 children, mostly born in the 1970s, have been exposed to the product. The association’s new study, funded by the National Agency for the Safety of Medicines and Health Products (ANSM), this time looked at 759 granddaughters of women who took the drug.
Rokitansky syndrome
Among them, there is an abnormally high number of births with Rokitansky syndrome (a total or partial absence of uterus) per woman: 3 for 759, against 1 for 4500 for the rest of the population, indicates The Parisian.
One of the gynecologists who participated in the study specifies however that the consequences are not as serious as for the second generation of the drug, which underwent “ectopic pregnancies, late miscarriages or prematurity”, reminds the daily Anne Wautier.
For its part, the laboratory that marketed Distilbene at the time nuanced the study: “These are results from a declarative survey. We cannot draw definitive conclusions”, says Anne de Cassini, vice-president of the Belgian laboratory UCB Pharma.
However, she acknowledges that “it is a signal that deserves to be studied.”
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