Flora E van Leeuwenemail, Elisabeth JM van Erp, Theo JM Helmerhorst, Peter AM Heintz, April 2007.
” As members of the Dutch Expert Committee on DES-related Health Effects, we respond to the Comment by Ellen ‘t Hoen and Graham Dukes on compensation for diethylstilbestrol injury.
Contrary to the opinion expressed by ‘t Hoen and Dukes, we, as well as the Dutch DES Centre, strongly believe that the recently agreed collective settlement of diethylstilbestrol claims in the Netherlands is unique and highly beneficial for Dutch diethylstilbestrol victims. Our opinion is based on the large number of diethylstilbestrol-related disorders covered and the fact that individual women do not have to start an expensive and emotionally difficult legal procedure with uncertain outcome, which could last several years. Individual women can now be compensated on the basis of medical evidence of diethylstilbestrol exposure and the presence of a diethylstilbestrol-related disorder covered by the settlement.
In close collaboration with the DES Centre, a careful procedure was followed before a settlement was proposed. The Expert Committee first reviewed published data on diethylstilbestrol-related health effects and decided for which disorders a causal association with diethylstilbestrol was established. We believe that no causal association has been established for breast cancer and early age at menopause in women whose mothers took diethylstilbestrol during pregnancy (“DES daughters”) because increased risks were reported in only one study. Subsequently, we determined the relative risk associated with diethylstilbestrol, on the basis of all available published data.
A unique aspect of the Dutch collective settlement is that it also allows compensation for diseases with a weak but established association with diethylstilbestrol. DES mothers (those who took diethylstilbestrol during pregnancy) have a 1·35-fold increased risk of breast cancer. This implies that the attributable risk is 26%—ie, among DES mothers with breast cancer, one in four cases can be attributed to diethylstilbestrol. Since there is no way to identify the one woman whose breast cancer was indeed caused by diethylstilbestrol, it was agreed that all (living) DES mothers who developed (or will develop) breast cancer should be compensated, taking into account the attributable risk.
The proposed collective settlement was widely publicised among those exposed to diethylstilbestrol, and, of more than 100 000 affected, the Amsterdam court received only four objections. The court validated the diethylstilbestrol agreement and ruled against the four defendants. We regret that this information was not included the Comment.
We declare that we have no conflict of interest. ”
Flora E van Leeuwen, Elisabeth J M van Erp, Theo J M Helmerhorst, Peter A M Heintz,
Department of Epidemiology, Netherlands Cancer Institute, Plesmanlaan 121, 1066 CX Amsterdam, Netherland.
Sources (c) DES Centrum 2015,
DES Fonds 1e regeling, compensation for diethylstilbestrol injury.
More DES DiEthylStilbestrol Resources
- DES studies on cancers and screening.
- DES studies on epigenetics and transgenerational effects.
- DES studies on fertility and pregnancy.
- DES studies on gender identity and psychological health.
- DES studies on in-utero exposure to DES and side-effects.
- DES studies on the genital tract.
- Papers on DES lawsuits.
- DES videos and posts tagged DES, the DES-exposed, DES victims.
A DES Daughter's Blog 
This is good news for victims of DES. The race is on to convict the drug companies responsible for manufacturing this drug of negligence.
Indeed, for the Dutch community Valerie, thank you 🙂
The size of the compensations is ridiculously low though, I imagine the guys of the pharmaceutical companies opening a few bottles of champagne while laughing their heads off at the time this deal was made. As an example: I myself will receive about 650,- euros for having a deformed womb and a lifelong increased risk of developing cervical cancer for probably the rest of my life, not to speak about all the unknown health risks as the result of damaged DNA.
I will take the money because I need it but it feels like accepting an insult.
I fully understand ; thank you for sharing your testimonial Linda