On February 23, Dr. Günther Sievers (in charge of Thalidomide within Grünenthal’s medical and scientific department) received a note informing him about a comment a neurologist in Hagen-Haspe (North Rhein-Wesphalia), Dr. Schenk, had made about Contergan: Schenk literally said: “A longer intake of Contergan causes damage”.

According to the indictment, Dr. Sievers did not attempt to get in touch with Dr. Schenk (or others who had stated similar things) to find out why he would come to such a conclusion.

Source: Anklageschrift (indictment) from 1967, today archived at the National Archives of North Rhine-Westphalia in Duisburg, Germany (Rheinland Division, Gerichte Rep. 139, No. 1–396), p. 84.

For other reports on nerve damage for the first half of 1960, see indictment pp. 89-89.