Episode 5 - The Device

18 deaths and over 200,000 serious complications, including serious infection or miscarriage - this episode of Anecdotal tells the story of the Dalkon Shield: an intrauterine device used by millions of women in the 1970’s, despite glaring red flags throughout its development. The fallout would lead to hundreds of thousands of lawsuits and claims - including thousands from Australian women - leading to the biggest tort case since asbestos.

We explore the development and testing of the device, the historical context that allowed it to acquire 10% of the US’s contraceptive market, and the catastrophic aftermath that followed the discovery of its risks - despite being on the market for fewer than five years, the Dalkon Shield’s legal and cultural legacy endures to this day.

Also discussed: is Australia facing a shortage of copper IUDs?

Special thanks to Jonathan Skourletos for the audio production support.

If you enjoyed this episode, you might enjoy the following:

• Questions arose early on contraceptive’s safety (1985) — Washington Post coverage highlighting the early signs of trouble at A.H. Robins and the signs that were ignored.

• Nightmare: women and the Dalkon Shield (1985) — Thoroughly detailed and captivating account of the Dalkon Shield story, covering its invention, the sale to A.H. Robins, the Nelson Pill Hearings, and harrowing stories of real women whose lives were forever changed by the device.

• The Charge: Gynocide (1979) — Investigative report into the US’s “contraceptive dumps” in developing countries in the 1970’s, including the dumping of hundreds of thousands of Dalkon Shields in rural clinics throughout nearly 40 countries. Absolutely fascinating read - would have loved to cover this in more detail on the episode, but had to be conscious of time.

Episode Sources

1. Susan Perry, Jim Dawson (1985) — Nightmare: women and the Dalkon Shield

2. https://www.washingtonpost.com/archive/politics/1985/04/07/questions-arose-early-on-contraceptives-safety/c4d6f430-3a9b-4897-ac26-52562a813774/

3. https://www.motherjones.com/politics/1979/11/charge-gynocide/

4. https://www0.anu.edu.au/fellows/jbraithwaite/_documents/Articles/Coke%20and%20Cancer%20at%20BHP.pdf

5. https://www.abc.net.au/news/2024-04-03/copper-iud-contraception-shortage-confusion-in-australia/103655218

6. https://www.fsrh.org/news/fsrh-statement-on-national-copper-iud-shortages/

7. https://www.tga.gov.au/about-HRT-shortages

8. https://www.racgp.org.au/afp/2017/october/emergency-contraception-oral-and-intrauterine-opti

9. https://www.nytimes.com/1984/08/01/business/ongoing-problem-for-robins.html

10. https://www.reproductiveaccess.org/2024/03/a-history-the-iud/

11. https://www.mayoclinic.org/diseases-conditions/pelvic-inflammatory-disease/symptoms-causes/syc-20352594

12. https://www.washingtonpost.com/archive/politics/1985/04/10/researchers-ties-not-always-noted/22d4229b-98fb-45db-9b55-71cdeb82d533/