Reviewer ’s report  
 
Title: Life situation of women impaired by Tha lidomide embryopathy in North Rhine 
Westphalia - a comparative analysis of a recent cross -sectional study with earlier data  
 
Version: 0 Date: 24 May 2018  
 
Reviewer: Gunilla Sydsjö  
 
Reviewer's report:  
 
Thank you for the opportunity to read this paper.  
I think some of the results are very interesting and worth discussing.  
 
My main topics about the paper:  
 
 
The rational for doing this?  
 
Is this of interest for readers and researcher worldwide or are the results mainly of interest for t he 
German society? My suggestion is to public in a more suitable paper for the German public.  
The introduction is much to long and focus on the situation when the Thalidomide was 
introduces and withdrawn from the German market.  
I do believe that this done in many countries after the alarms about the impact on the children.  
 
Way not included the affected men also?  
 
There is a problem not knowing if the women are investigating twice or have only answered the 
questioners once.  
 
 
The number of participates.  
 
The financial compensation for the women -have they received that from the state? Is that a 
factor not working and maybe work part time. I think there need to be control group of a twice as 
many women from the ordinary population that also needs to be age matched. Also there needs 
to be a discussion in health care and assistance   - the possibility to get assistances. Is it a 
problem in Germany and might it be a financial question?  
 
The strength in this study is that the investigation has been thorough and performed by 
professionals. And also it is a well written paper.  
 
 
 
 
 
Are the methods appropriate and well described?  
If not, please specify what is required in your comments to the authors.  
 
Yes 
 
Does the work include the necessary c ontrols?  
If not, please specify which controls are required in your comments to the authors.  
 
No 
 
Are the conclusions drawn adequately supported by the data shown?  
If not, please explain in your comments to the authors.  
 
No 
 
Are you able to asse ss any statistics in the manus cript or would you recommend an 
additional statistical review?  
If an additional statistical review is recommended, please speci fy what aspects require further 
assessment in your comments to the editors.  
 
I am able to assess the statistics  
 
Quality of written English  
Please indicate the quality of language in the manuscript:  
 
Acceptable  
 
Declaration of competing interests  
Please complete a declaration of competing interests, considering the following questions:  
 
1. Have you in the past five years received reimbursements, f ees, funding, or salary from an 
organisation that may in any way gain or lose financially from the publi cation of this 
manuscript, either now or in the future?  
 
2. Do you hold any stocks or shares in an organisation t hat may in any way gain or lose 
financially from the publication of this manuscript, either now or in the future?  
 
3. Do you hold or are you curr ently applying for any patents  relating to the content of the 
manuscript?  
 
4. Have you received reimbursements, fees, funding, or salary from an organization that 
holds or has applied for patents relating to the content of the manuscript?  
 
5. Do you have any  other financial competing interests?  
 
6. Do you have any non -financial competing interests in relation to this paper?  
If you can answer no to all of the above, write 'I declare that I have  no competing interests' 
below. If your reply is yes to any, please give details below.  
 
I declare that I have no competing interest.  
 
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