Sodium Valproate Patient Groups Will Press For Action On Cumberlege Review Recommendations

• Published date: 27 July 2020
• Subject Matter: Food, Drugs, Healthcare, Life Sciences, Biotechnology & Nanotechnology
• Law Firm: Leigh Day
• Author: Leigh Day

The Independent Medicines and Medical Devices Safety Review, by which Baroness Julia Cumberlege published her report, First Do No Harm, will cease to exist from Friday, 31 July.

Then, it will be down to patient groups to apply pressure to see Baroness Cumberlege's recommendations accepted and actioned by the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, Matt Hancock.

Sodium Valproate patient groups, FACSaware, Valproate Victims, OACS and Connate, anticipate that a scheduled debate in the House of Lords during the Second Reading of the Medicines and Medical Devices Bill will present an opportunity to highlight the importance of the Cumberlege recommendations.

The debate was due to be held on Monday, 27 July, but has been postponed until September, time which the groups will use to brief peers and to talk to their MPs.

The First Do No Harm report followed Baroness Cumberlege's investigation into the consequences of the use of Sodium Valproate in pregnancy, as well as Primodos and vaginal mesh.

Recommendations which Sodium Valproate groups are keen to see fulfilled as soon as possible are:

• The appointment of a Patient Safety Commissioner
• An independent Redress Agency for those harmed by medicines and medical devices
• A cost-of-care scheme to meet the costs of additional needs caused by avoidable harm
• Networks of specialist centres to provide comprehensive treatment and act as a 'one-stop shop' to signpost and refer patients to other services

Represented by Leigh Day solicitors, the Sodium Valproate patient groups have already written to Matt Hancock to ask that he gives these matters his urgent attention.

In their letter sent Friday, 17 July, the groups stressed there is a lot of work to be done to set up a Redress Scheme that implements Baroness Cumberlege's recommendations faithfully, "makes proper provision for the needs" and "facilitates dignity, autonomy and control for affected families and...