Supporting the Valproate Fight
Donation protected
From as early as 1973 children have suffered due to the Anti Epilepsy medication, Sodium Valproate (Epilim) prescribed and taken in pregnancy. This story is similar in some ways to that of Thalidomide yet our children's problems go unnoticed due to their difficulties being invisible. Mikey Argy from the Thalidomide Campaign Team is currently part of INFACTs support team and continues to advise on issues such as The Government Campaign, which has been extremely sucessful.
The children are now recieving Legal representation from Michael Mansfield QC at Nexus Chambers to complete their government fight, and funds are needed to afford the amount asked from them to do the necessary work, including the day to day running of the campaign which includes support for parents, attending Parliamentary and Governing Body meetings such as with the Medicines & Healthcare Product Regulatory Agency (MHRA).
INFACT are also pleased to announce that they are supported by Anna Christian Campaigns who are doing a fantastic job giving help and guidance for INFACTs social media etc..
In 2015 NFACT uncovered Archive documents from 1973 onwards which showed that the Government had always been aware of the dangers of Valproate in pregnancy from when it was first given its licence in 1973, yet denied that information to be given to those women who were prescribed it during their child bearing years.
Our children suffer with numerous problems ranging from Spina Bifida Cleft lip & Palate , Heart and Kidney malformations, neurodevelopmental disorders such as Autism , memory problems requiring educational support, which families fight continuously for.
The families fight has been ongoing since the early 1990's, through the justice system with 15 years of failed litigation. So in 2013 INFACT took up the fight through Government and a Parliamentary Campaign. Gathering momentum, INFACT have numerous MPs and ex Minsters onside and have finally reached the top of the hill after countless meetings with Ministers, the Medicines Healthcare Products and Regulatory Agency, the Dept of Health and the European Medicines agency.
Recently anBBC Inside Out programme on Valproate was shown covering the campaign and the suffering the children have gone through. For more information on the latest news and developments on the INFACT Campaign please follow the link.
The INFACT campaign has been running since 2012 and so far has around 2000 affected children registered. It became a registered charity in 2013, with registration number 1162441, and is now the national body for the Valproate campaign.
Due to Valproate still be prescribed for Bipolar, Epilepsy and Migraine, as well as off label for other conditions, it is important that any family who's child is affected in pregnancy registers on the INFACT National Database where you will be given an unique reference number and updated with their campaign.
In April this year (2018) new legislation was introduced called the Pregnancy Prevention Program (PPP) for Valproate. This was to avoid Valproate (Epilim) being prescribed to women of child bearing age without contraception. GP's and clinicians, from this point were suppose to give their patient. prescribed this medication patient information about its use during pregnancy, along with an opportunity to change medication and sign an Acknowledgment of Risk form. Your Pharmacist, when dispensing Valproate to any women of child bearing age was suppose to ensure they received a Patient Information Leaflet (PIL) and a Pharmacy card along with any white pharmacy box having the new warning stickers on it. However, due to our INFACT PPP Survey we know that neither have been put into practice. This is currently being dealt with by the Medicines and Healthcare Products Regulatory Agency and the Dept of Health.
In May INFACT, with the help for Michael Mansfield QC, Nexus Chambers and Specialist Healthcare Professionals put together a 300 page document which was sent to the Dept of Health, this was to be the Remit asked of INFACT to prove compensation and a care plan was the Dept of Healths responsibility, however the Independent Medicines and Medical Devices Safety Review know as the Cumberlege Review was announced by the, then Health Minister Jeremy Hunt, and all papers were forwarded. INFACT have never received a response to their Remit from the Dept of Health.!
And so, with the extent of the damage Valproate has caused and the constant resistance by the Government to take responsibilty, the INFACT CAMPAIGN continues.
Your generosity will always be appreciated by the children harmed by Valproate, and they thank you for helping their fight become complete and to help them pay the costs so much needed to end their Parliamentary battle and to ensure the Government accept their responsibility for the damage caused over so many years.
The children are now recieving Legal representation from Michael Mansfield QC at Nexus Chambers to complete their government fight, and funds are needed to afford the amount asked from them to do the necessary work, including the day to day running of the campaign which includes support for parents, attending Parliamentary and Governing Body meetings such as with the Medicines & Healthcare Product Regulatory Agency (MHRA).
INFACT are also pleased to announce that they are supported by Anna Christian Campaigns who are doing a fantastic job giving help and guidance for INFACTs social media etc..
In 2015 NFACT uncovered Archive documents from 1973 onwards which showed that the Government had always been aware of the dangers of Valproate in pregnancy from when it was first given its licence in 1973, yet denied that information to be given to those women who were prescribed it during their child bearing years.
Our children suffer with numerous problems ranging from Spina Bifida Cleft lip & Palate , Heart and Kidney malformations, neurodevelopmental disorders such as Autism , memory problems requiring educational support, which families fight continuously for.
The families fight has been ongoing since the early 1990's, through the justice system with 15 years of failed litigation. So in 2013 INFACT took up the fight through Government and a Parliamentary Campaign. Gathering momentum, INFACT have numerous MPs and ex Minsters onside and have finally reached the top of the hill after countless meetings with Ministers, the Medicines Healthcare Products and Regulatory Agency, the Dept of Health and the European Medicines agency.
Recently anBBC Inside Out programme on Valproate was shown covering the campaign and the suffering the children have gone through. For more information on the latest news and developments on the INFACT Campaign please follow the link.
The INFACT campaign has been running since 2012 and so far has around 2000 affected children registered. It became a registered charity in 2013, with registration number 1162441, and is now the national body for the Valproate campaign.
Due to Valproate still be prescribed for Bipolar, Epilepsy and Migraine, as well as off label for other conditions, it is important that any family who's child is affected in pregnancy registers on the INFACT National Database where you will be given an unique reference number and updated with their campaign.
In April this year (2018) new legislation was introduced called the Pregnancy Prevention Program (PPP) for Valproate. This was to avoid Valproate (Epilim) being prescribed to women of child bearing age without contraception. GP's and clinicians, from this point were suppose to give their patient. prescribed this medication patient information about its use during pregnancy, along with an opportunity to change medication and sign an Acknowledgment of Risk form. Your Pharmacist, when dispensing Valproate to any women of child bearing age was suppose to ensure they received a Patient Information Leaflet (PIL) and a Pharmacy card along with any white pharmacy box having the new warning stickers on it. However, due to our INFACT PPP Survey we know that neither have been put into practice. This is currently being dealt with by the Medicines and Healthcare Products Regulatory Agency and the Dept of Health.
In May INFACT, with the help for Michael Mansfield QC, Nexus Chambers and Specialist Healthcare Professionals put together a 300 page document which was sent to the Dept of Health, this was to be the Remit asked of INFACT to prove compensation and a care plan was the Dept of Healths responsibility, however the Independent Medicines and Medical Devices Safety Review know as the Cumberlege Review was announced by the, then Health Minister Jeremy Hunt, and all papers were forwarded. INFACT have never received a response to their Remit from the Dept of Health.!
And so, with the extent of the damage Valproate has caused and the constant resistance by the Government to take responsibilty, the INFACT CAMPAIGN continues.
Your generosity will always be appreciated by the children harmed by Valproate, and they thank you for helping their fight become complete and to help them pay the costs so much needed to end their Parliamentary battle and to ensure the Government accept their responsibility for the damage caused over so many years.
Organizer
Janet Williams
Organizer
England
