The New York Times had a recent article about the so-called survivors of thalidomide, who are the people who experienced birth defects associated with use of the drug during pregnancy. The article is interesting on several levels.
It tells the stories of thalidomide survivors, their use of social media to find each other, and their efforts to seek information and compensation for their injuries. The article reminds us that not only was thalidomide never approved for use in the United States, but that the current drug approval process got its start from the thalidomide experience.
Thalomide was one of the first applications new FDA employee Dr. Frances Oldham Kelsey considered for approval in the early 1960s. In what was atypical at the time, she raised questions about its safety and kept asking the drug manufacturer for more safety data. Ultimately, with more data from around the world becoming available, the drug was not approved in the US. Dr. Kelsey’s obituary gives more information about her experience.