Dalkon Shield

The Dalkon Shield was an intrauterine device, which has been applied very frequently in the 1970s, but had to be taken later because of serious infections from the market.

The shape of the Dalkon Shields recalled a round bug with a big eye and five feet on both sides. To remove the pessary because of its shape much force was needed. Therefore, the withdrawal string from an entangled fiber strand consisted instead of a monofilament yarn as with all other spirals. This removal cord was responsible for frequent and often dramatic infections because nestle in the braided thread and bacteria could migrate into the uterus.

History

1970 bought the A. H. Robins Company the Dalkon Shield from the Dalkon Corporation. The Dalkon Corporation had only four shareholders, the inventor of the pessary, the doctors Hugh J. Davis, Irwin Lerner and Thad J. Earl, and their attorney Robert Cohn. 1971 brought the Dalkon Shield Dalkon in the U.S. and in Puerto Rico on the market, accompanied by a major marketing campaign, although available at that time only a few and inadequate studies. At the peak of its distribution of Dalkon Shield of about 2.8 million women were employed. Until 1974, the Dalkon Shield demanded 17 fatalities.

With more than 300,000 complaints from users compared the AH Robins Company was the Dalkon Shield, according to asbestos, the biggest case of actions for damages. The events the confidence of American women and physicians was damaged in spirals lasting for decades.