A law firm representing victims of the DES scandal is joining calls urging the Government to launch a full public inquiry into the historic prescribing of the drug, as mounting evidence reveals its harmful impact across multiple generations.
Rothera Bray Solicitors, based in the East Midlands, is calling for urgent action as pressure grows for a statutory inquiry into the use of diethylstilbestrol (DES) in pregnant women, a drug now linked to rare cancers, infertility and serious intergenerational health complications.
Between the 1940s and 1980s approximately 300,000 women in the UK were prescribed DES both on the NHS and by private practices. The synthetic hormone was intended to prevent miscarriage, suppress lactation and manage menopause symptoms. Decades later, extensive research has linked DES exposure to severe and sometimes fatal health outcomes, including clear cell adenocarcinoma and significant fertility problems. These effects are now being identified not only in the women who took the drug, but also in their children.
Recent findings suggest that women prescribed DES during pregnancy may face a 30% increased risk of breast cancer, while daughters exposed to DES in utero are at heightened risk of clear cell cancer, a rare condition not typically detected through routine screening.
Following a year-long ITV News investigation, Health Secretary Wes Streeting publicly acknowledged for the first time that “the state got this wrong,” recognising the deep and long-lasting impact of DES on affected families. Victims and campaigners have welcomed the sentiment but argue that it falls considerably short of the accountability and action required.
More than 300 people have now joined DES Justice UK, a campaign group formed in response to the ITV investigation, which is advocating for a full statutory public inquiry with binding recommendations.
Concerns intensified after it emerged that the Committee on Safety of Medicines, the predecessor to the MHRA, had misled the public for decades about when DES was withdrawn. Officials had previously claimed that warning letters instructing doctors to stop prescribing DES were issued in 1973. It has now been revealed that these letters were never sent, resulting in the drug remaining in use until the 1980s, despite known cancer risks.
Several MPs, including Jessica Toale and Layla Moran, have called the situation “one of the biggest pharmaceutical scandals in British history,” criticising the Government’s lack of urgency and calling for immediate measures to support and identify DES victims. As of February 2026, no parliamentary debate on DES has been scheduled.
Greg Almond, Partner and Head of Serious Personal Injury at Rothera Bray, emphasised the critical need for accountability and support:
“We are representing victims of DES exposure and their families who have lived for decades with the devastating consequences of a drug they were assured was safe. Their stories reveal a profound failure by the authorities responsible for protecting patients. A full public inquiry is essential to uncover the truth, ensure accountability and deliver long overdue justice.”
For more information about Rothera Bray Solicitors, visit: https://rotherabray.co.uk/