78 – Primodos: The forgotten synthetic hormone scandal

The Dr Louise Newson Podcast · Jun 25, 2026 · 33m

Millions of women were prescribed Primodos as a pregnancy test even though there were concerns that it was associated with many different and often devastating birth defects. More than 60 years later, many of the questions surrounding the drug - which contains synthetic hormones that are still prescribed to women today - remain unanswered.In this episode, Dr Louise Newson is joined by ProfessorNeil Vargesson, Professor of Developmental Biology at the University of Aberdeen, whose research into Primodos has helped shine a light on one of themost dreadful drug scandals in modern…