• Thalidomide was sold in the UK between April 1958 and November 1961 by Grünenthal licensee Distillers (now Diageo) under various trade-names. “Distaval” and “Distaval Forte” were the most popular ones.

• At least 530 Thalidomide babies were born in the UK between January 1959 and May 1965 (the actual number is probably way higher). Around 450 survivors are living in the UK today.

• Under the leadership of Sunday Times publisher Harold Evans, a team of journalists had been investigating the story for years, playing a crucial role in gathering public support for UK Thalidomiders. In 1972 the paper published the front page article: “Our thalidomide children, a cause for national shame”.

• In 1973 Distillers agreed to pay a total of £20 million compensation to UK survivors (about $48.5m CDN at the time) – but only after fierce legal battles and massive public pressure. That same year the Thalidomide Trust was formed, and put in charge of distributing the compensation money.

• In 1974 the UK government awarded £5 million (about $11.5m CDN at the time) to the trust, and in 1996 another £7 million (about 15m CDN at the time). In 2010 the UK government officially apologized to survivors and offered a new compensation package of £20 million (about 41m CDN at the time).

• In 2005 Diageo, the multinational that purchased Distillers, significantly increased its contribution to the trust. Today Diageo pays an average of £7.5 million ($15.5m CDN) per year towards the Thalidomide Trust and has promised to do so until 2037 (estimated total cost: £153 million, about 316m CDN). Survivors in the UK currently receive an average annual pension of roughly £50,000 (about $103,000 CDN) – paid for by the government and Diageo.

• Thalidomiders in the UK are possibly the best compensated survivors due to the hard work of many activists and the moral responsibility shown by their government and Diageo.

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