Nus Ghani has been re-elected as the Vice Chair of the All Party Parliamentary Group (APPG) on Thalidomide; a cause which she has supported throughout her parliamentary career.
As part of her work as Vice Chair of the Thalidomide APPG, Nus will continue to work closely with Wealden resident, Mikey Argy of Forest Row, who has been campaigning on this issue for forty years.
Thalidomide was used in the 1950s and 1960s to treat nausea in pregnant women, before it became apparent that it caused significant birth defects in their children.
Following the thalidomide tragedy, international regulatory agencies introduced more stringent testing protocols for testing the toxicity of drugs, but the company originally responsible, Grünenthal, only apologised for its role in 2012. A report from the University of Münster in Germany condemned Grünenthal for organising a deliberate campaign of misinformation, when the possible side effects became apparent.
The Government has been supportive of victims of thalidomide, through a grant in the region of £80 million to the Thalidomide Trust, a charity which provides relief and assistance to people who have suffered as a result.
Commenting on the event, Ms Ghani said: “I am honoured to be able to work alongside Mikey, an inspiring local woman from Forest Row, in her campaign for justice. I was absolutely delighted when her tireless work, both in Wealden and nationally, was recognised with an MBE in the Queen’s Birthday Honours in 2015.
Hundreds of survivors of thalidomide live across the country and, as Vice Chair of the APPG on Thalidomide, I know that we can never undo the tragic consequences of the unrestrained use of the drug; however we can continue to seek justice for the victims and support them and their families.”
