By GB News (World News) | Created at 2026-09-30 14:01:07 | Updated at 2026-09-30 14:54:41
1 hour ago
Andy Burnham has been told to act by two mothers whose children were left severely disabled by an NHS-prescribed epilepsy drug.
The drug, sodium valproate, was prescribed to pregnant women for decades, despite known risks to unborn babies.
Documents uncovered by the mothers, Janet Williams and Emma Murphy, suggest officials knew of the risks as early as the 1970s.
They attended the Labour conference in Liverpool, where they implored the Prime Minister to set up an interim payment for affected families and introduce a care plan.
Speaking exclusively to GB News' Chief Political Correspondent Katherine Forster by the River Mersey, Ms Williams said: "I was prescribed a drug in the early 80s with no instructions, no patient information leaflets, nothing.
"My first son was born in 1989. Straight away, he showed withdrawal symptoms. He had to be weaned and was in hospital seven days before we brought him home."
The same thing happened with her younger son.
Both are now in their thirties and have profound disabilities. Ms Williams and her husband worry about who will care for them when they die.
Janet Williams and Emma Murphy have told Andy Burnham to act on the scandal
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"They've both got speech and language problems, hearing problems, sight problems. My oldest one's got scoliosis (a curvature of the spine)."
Ms Murphy is the founder of INFACT (Independent Fetal Anti-Convulsant Trust). She said: "The effect is just devastating.
"We were advised it's a safe drug to take, it will control your seizures, and basically everything would be fine.
"I've now got five children affected. They have a diagnosis of foetal valproate spectrum disorder. The diagnoses we've received are autism, cerebral palsy, deafness, incontinence, epilepsy, speech and language delay."
Ms Murphy is the founder of Infact (Independent Fetal Anti-Convulsant Trust)
GB NEWS
Speaking exclusively to GB News' Chief Political Correspondent Katherine Forster by the River Mersey, the mothers said they were 'prescribed a drug in the early 80s with no instructions, and no patient information leaflets'
GB NEWS
Scandals such as infected blood and the Post Office have received extensive coverage, while the sodium valproate scandal has had far less attention, despite the mothers campaigning for redress and compensation for decades.
Ms Murphy said: "There are thousands of families affected across the UK. It really is a national scandal that successive Governments just haven't gripped."
The pair say they have found proof that officials knew of the risks, telling The People's Channel a decision was taken to keep the warning off package inserts so patients would not see it.
Ms Murphy said: "The risks were known at licensing. In 1973, the Committee on Safety of Medicines knew of the risks.
"Documents that we found throughout our campaign specifically stated that they knew of the risk but chose not to warn women."
Janet Williams and Emma Murphy found evidence officials knew of the risks as early as the 1970s
GB NEWS
Janet Williams and Emma Murphy found evidence officials knew of the risks as early as the 1970s
GB NEWS
They are now appealing directly to Mr Burnham, who has campaigned for victims of Hillsborough and infected blood.
Ms Murphy said: "We've met Andy a few times and he has always shown support. He supports injustices, and we do get that feeling of hope that's been mentioned a lot here at the Labour conference.
"We've got to keep gripping onto that hope, because families are exasperated with how they've been passed from pillar to post by successive Governments."
Ms Williams said the Prime Minister and Chancellor need to look at "the problems that the children are suffering, are going to suffer throughout their life, and actually take action".
She added: "Do what's needed for an interim payment for these children. And then the main payment is the care plan."
