Germany allows new compensation claims for thalidomide victims
Victims of thalidomide will no longer be overlooked by the German government, as compensation over birth defects caused by the drug are allowed.
The drug was formerly produced by Grunenthal, a German company. A ban has been in place for 26 years, forbidding thalidomide victims from foreign countries to claim compensation. This new announcement from the German family ministry says that victims will have until the end of 2010 to collect damages.
Since 1983, the German government has rejected over 100 thalidomide compensation claims for being “out of time,” as the drug hasn’t been produced since the 1960’s, when it was found to be the cause of birth defects. A recent campaign by thalidomide victims has convinced German authorities to temporarily accept new compensation claims.
The drug was originally made to combat morning sickness but some women who used the drug gave birth to children with underdeveloped limbs, whilst some lacked limbs altogether.