Today John Stack from Tarbert marks his 60th birthday. He’s also Ireland’s youngest Thalidomide survivor. Thalidomide was a drug which was prescribed to pregnant women in the late 1950s and early 1960s to treat morning sickness. However, it was withdrawn internationally in 1961, after it was found to cause major birth defects. Those affected by the drug were often born with shortened or no limbs, and had other serious health issues. However, in Ireland, withdrawal didn’t happen here until 1962. The Government and health authorities didn’t make families aware of the very serious potential consequences of taking the drop. There are 40 Thalidomide survivors left in Ireland. At the end of last year, there were two surviving mothers of children born with defects as a result of the drug.
