Category Archives: Newsletters

The use of thalidomide by pregnant women in the 1950s and early 1960s is a tragic example of the consequences of using untested drugs. When scientists first discovered it, they touted it as a wonder drug that functioned as a tranquilizer and painkiller and prevented morning sickness. Women in Canada and Europe were the first to use it, and more than 10,000 children were born with deformities when the drug was most popular. In the United States, the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) ultimately rejected an application to market thalidomide, arguing that the drug required further testing. The thalidomide scare prompted important changes in how governments regulate drugs that pregnant women may take. The United States Congress passed significantly stricter laws for approving drugs. Thalidomide appears to be making a comeback, however, as researchers have again noticed its effectiveness in treating certain medical conditions. Pregnant women for whom doctors have…
Read More »