The Wire

Sex hormone diethylstilboestrol or commonly known as DES, was prescribed widely to stop miscarriages among women in post-war period in Australia. Research since the 1970s has linked the drug to an aggressive type of cancer mostly among the daughters of mothers who took the drug and some sons. The US has acted by legislating that a public education campaign be made compulsory ensuring DES affected communities are informed. But the 740 thousand women in Australia are still kept in the dark. Advocates have no choice but take the matters to the Human Rights Commission in Australia pushing for similar public action.