Campaigning

This is Liz Buckle, a constituent of mine who lives on the Island of Lismore.

Liz came to see me at a surgery on the island last September. She wanted to brief her local Scottish Parliament representative about the on going campaign by those Thalidomide victims who are still alive ( just over 50 in Scotland) to secure fair , ongoing, support from the German pharmaceutical company Grunenthal which made the drug.

Whilst national governments, including the Scottish and UK Governments , have provided special funds for those affected Grunenthal seems to have evaded taking long term responsibility (legal, moral and financial ) and avoided a direct apology whilst continuing to make millions as a pharmaceutical manufacturer.

Many victims across the world have had nothing from Grunenthal. Others have had pitiful amounts and the company' s present actions provide a low level grant based "last resort" rather than a meaningful entitlement.

Liz and her fellow sufferers are brave, knowledgable and often great company. She has told me much I never knew but as she and the others grow older they are incurring increasing costs. In addition the health service is still having to cope with many unknowns and provide more and more back up.

The Thalidomide Trust held an event in the Parliament tonight and exhibited some of their members art works whilst briefing politicians on their campaign for justice.

Liz is beside her picture of cattle at Port Ramsay on Lismore. Other works - many of them thoughtful and moving - will be on show in the Parliament next week.