Medicine in the current year is very safe. It has thorough testing. Doses are carefully decided and administered. This all based on the requisite research and clinical trials before approval.

This has not always been the case. Sometimes that has been of great benefit. The oral contraceptive used by women was only possible because testing standards were not as stringent as they are today. If they were the oral contraceptive would never have been approved. The availability of such medication has been of great benefit.

While there are some drugs and medicines developed under these loose frameworks there are also examples of where that was not only a failure but a liability.

Thalidomide is an example of this. It was a drug developed post world war 2. It was a repurposed line of investigation for antibiotics.

Thalidomide was released as a sedative and morning sickness medication. It was effective for the intended purpose. Despite working as morning sickness medication and sedative it led to a scandal.

This is known as the thalidomide scandal.

The thalidomide scandal was not an isolated event. As mentioned the oral contraceptive would never be approved today due to the very different testing requirements. Thalidomide is the same.

Thalidomide was approved in many countries with with very little data. This was coupled with very limited knowledge of the product. A factor which would come back to haunt many people.

Thalidomide comes in two forms. They are a mirror of each other. These 2 different versions are very important.

If it was known that Thalidomide was actually a a racemic mixture it might have avoided a tragedy. Testing would have shown how thalidomide cause cause extensive birth defects. More importantly it would have prevented the release of a failed line of investigation.



Relevant links:

Mechanism of action of thalidomide elucidated
[ Ссылка ]

Thalidomide: the tragedy of birth defects and the effective treatment of disease
[ Ссылка ]

Thalidomide: The Tragedy of Birth Defects and the Effective Treatment of Disease
[ Ссылка ]

Thalidomide‐induced teratogenesis: History and mechanisms
[ Ссылка ]

Mechanisms of action and potential therapeutic uses of thalidomide
[ Ссылка ]

PubChem – thalidomide
[ Ссылка ]

Thalidomide scandal: 60-year timeline
[ Ссылка ]

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