Thalidomide Baby Claim

Press, Volume CVI, Issue 31119, 23 July 1966, Page 15

Thalidomide Baby Claim

(N.Z. Press Assn. —Copyright) SYDNEY, July 21. The State Government has granted financial aid to a Sydney thalidomide baby in a substantial damages claim against an overseas drug company. It will be the first damages claim in Australia on behalf of a victim of thalidomide. It will be a test case affecting eventually 13 known thalidomide babies in Syd-

ney, all of whom are suffering various degrees of deformity. Through the Public Solicitor’s office, a certificate for legal aid was issued under the Legal Assistance Act. It covers a contemplated action by four-year-old Laura Thompson, of Strathfield, to be undertaken through her “next friend,” her father, Mr A. L. Thompson. No Names

The solicitor for the baby, Mr David L. Patten, of McDonell and Moffit, said today the claim would be for sub-

stantlal damages alleging negligence. He would not indicate how much would be claimed, but it is believed it could be more than 100,000 dollars. Mr Patten said names of the defendants would not be disclosed at present, but it was learned that the contemplated action would be against an overseas company which has distributing agents in Australia. The writ would be issued soon after more talks with senior counsel. Bright, Alert Laura Thompson, in spite of disabilities, is bright and alert. She is four years and) three months old, and will soon start kindergarten. She was born without arms and with impaired eyesight. She wears power-operated artificial arms fitted by the limb centre of the repatriation department. The fitting of these aids followed visits by Australian experts overseas to study the latest techniques in the rehabilitation of baby drug victims. She is being taught how to use the arms at the children’s ‘hospital, Camperdown. I Her father is the president ! of the Thalidomide Aid Socijety.