Thalidomide Makers say "sorry": too little, too late

From BBC:

1 September 2012

Thalidomide apology insulting, campaigners say

The company which invented thalidomide has "insulted" those affected by the drug by issuing an "insincere" apology, campaigners have said.

The drug, sold in the 1950s as a cure for morning sickness, was linked to birth defects and withdrawn in 1961.

German-based Gruenenthal has issued its first apology in 50 years, but said the drug's possible side-effects "could not be detected" before it was marketed.

But the UK's Thalidomide Trust said any apology should also admit wrongdoing.

Nick Dobrik, a member of the trust's national advisory council, said it "should be an unreserved apology, not a conditional apology".

"We feel that a sincere and genuine apology is one which actually admits wrongdoing. The company has not done that and has really insulted the thalidomiders."...

In its day, thalidomide was initially seen as a miracle drug solution to the problem of nausea in pregnancy, even though the terrible consequences became evident very quickly, as the babies were born with disabling deformities.

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