A timeline of the history of Primodos – from when it was first prescribed in the 1950s to the ongoing campaign.
1958
Primodos is prescribed as a convenient new method of pregnancy testing.
1967
Dr Isabel Gal produces the first comprehensive study identifying the association between hormone pregnancy tests (HPTs) and congenital abnormalities.
1975
First warning about HPTs/Primodos from government health regulators.
1977
Second warning about HPTs/Primodos, which started: “The association has been confirmed.”
1978
Primodos is taken off the market in the UK.
1978
The Association for Children Damaged by Hormone Pregnancy Tests (ACDHPT) is formed and received 800 family members.
2009
The ACDHPT is re-established.
2011
Jason Farrell, of Sky News, starts investigating the story behind Primodos. His report explains how Primodos was designed to work, how families were affected, and a timeline of evidence suggesting a scandal that has been covered up, with significant documents destroyed and information withheld.
2017
An expert working group commissioned by the UK government concluded there was no association between HPTs and congenital abnormalities.
2020
Baroness Cumberlege was asked to chair an Independent Medicines and Medical Devices Safety Review, which concluded there was an association between HPTs/Primodos and adverse effects. The report, published on 8 July 2020, concluded that Primodos should have been removed from the market in 1967, immediately after the publication of Dr Gal’s study
2023
ACDHPT legal action at the Royal Courts of Justice began on 2 May at a court hearing that ran for four days. On 26 May, Mrs Justice Yip approved judgement in favour of the defendants – Bayer Pharma AG & Others and the UK Government – to strike out our claims. Our lack of funding was a contributing factor in the decision to prevent our case proceeding.
2024
Marie Lyon, chair of the ACDHPT, is awarded the British Empire Medal in the King’s Birthday Honours for advocating for scientific research and improving patient safety for women.
