Australian lawyer Peter Gordon launched a landmark international class action suit against the German makers of Thalidomide.
The class action followed Gordon’s successful negotiation for a $50 million (Aus) ex-gratia payment from the British firm Diageo for 45 acknowledged Australian and New Zealand survivors in the previous year.
The new class action involved more than 100 additional Australian and New Zealand Thalidomiders, with Lynette Rowe being the most prominent one. Lyn’s mother Wendy had taken Thalidomide in the first few weeks of her pregnancy. It was prescribed to her by her doctor. Lyn was born without arms or legs. The Rowes never received any compensation and were now getting older and hard pressed to be the full time care givers for their adult daughter.