Research into alleged 'birth defects drug' makes headlines

Research into alleged 'birth defects drug' makes headlines

Research by a University of Aberdeen team into a drug used as a hormone pregnancy test in the 1970s features in a new hour long Sky News documentary that will be screened for MPs at Westminster.

It is alleged the drug Primodos was linked to birth defects.

A UK government inquiry into the drug was set up in 2014.

Dr Neil Vargesson and his team, who have previously studied the morning sickness pill Thalidomide which caused more than 10,000 birth defects, tested a sample of the drug on fish embryos which led to a number of defects including enlarged hearts and twisted spines.

The hour long documentary will be aired on Sky Atlantic at 8pm on March 21 and Sky News at 9pm on March 22.

Dr Vargesson will attend a screening at the Houses of Parliament in front of MPs on March 21 and take questions from MPs involved in the setting up of the inquiry. 

He has previously written a Conversation article on the subject of Primodos. 

In addition to Sky News the story has featured widely in the UK media, including The Guardian, The Telegraph and The Independent.