For the last research project of the semester, I receivedand opportunity to research the topic of “Thalidomide-and it’s affects on theUnited States”. I took on this challenge after only seeing a couple of devastatingpictures of deformed babies, teens and adults on Google that sent me searchingand wanting to know exactly what kind of “thing” Thalidomide” was, and why itcaused humans to look they way they did.
What is Thalidomide exactly? While typing into Google's search bar words like " Thalidomide, History of Thalidomide, Thalidomide History in America, I stumbled across this Medical News Site about Thalidomide that explains how Thalidomide was initially launched in Germany as anerve gas to be used in warfare in the 1950’s. The article went on to say that as researchers studied moreabout Thalidomide, the drug became more affective for other uses such as: an effective tranquilizer, or painkiller. Before hitting the United States Thalidomide (the nerve gas )became known as Thalidomide a "wonder drug!".Thalidomide as a “wonder drug” was known to be able to relieve morning sickness(in pregnant women) insomnia, coughs, colds, and headaches.
As more and more of Thalidomide arrived into the UnitedStates from Germany, I found in a smallnews paper clipping from the NY TIMES that Thalidomide had only been initially issued to doctors to experiment with,and not for sale on the markets. Doctors, not yet knowing about the devastatingdeformation to the fetus had received 2,528,412 Thalidomide tablets to be given out to American patients around the Country. As I read this article, I thought, how could professionally trained doctors not know they were giving out fatal pills to people just as oblivious as them? I as I kept reading, urging to know more, I found that during this time, at a doctors visit, it was not required for women to get "chek-ups" or understand what exactly anything they were putting into their bodies was doing to their bodies. So not only were doctors not aware of the reaction going on from the drug, and neither were the women.
(President JFK with Dr.Frances O. Kelsey)
What were some of the effects Thalidomide had on a fetus? Whydid it cause the fetus to respond the way it did? A baby that had come into contact with Thalidomide would lack upper arm bone, bones that were severely shortened, upper arms that only“remnants” or lower arm bones, and on top of having all of that Thalidomidecould cause one to be paralyzed.
In the U.S. there had been found to be 10 Thalidomide babies and two main cases during the 1950’s that had gotten the attention to the restof the country. I found this information out by this website dedicated to the victims of Thalidomide. While I did the research on this website and contemplated about using as a source for Thalidomide in America, I noticed that even though this site was published by Canadians, It does represent Thalidomide victims from all over the world who have been affected.
One of the last websites I visited during this search of Thalidomide was a website that was titled "Thalidomide Drug Crisis 1960's- All Americans Will Pull together, The Federal Governments Role in Dealing with Disaster". While having just an quick overview look at the page, I thought "WOW it's serious if the president gets into it. From this website I learned that because of doctors being able to prescribe drugs that have not been overseen by FDA or anything that would warn doctors about bodily harm, Thalidomide helped create the new regulation (that is used today) of all drugs being tested and overseen before they are given to doctors to prescribe.
Thalidomide was such a huge influence in America because it eventually changed the way America and the rest of the world approached regulations on drugs given out to patients on all sorts of levels weather it just be for morning sickness, coughs, pains, headaches, etc. I personally believe after doing this project that Thalidomide also made a lead way for Americans having the right to know what exactly the medication they're taking is made of. For example, today if your feeling ill, and you need some Tylenol, or Advil, you are able to pick it up and read all of the ingredients involved with that product as well as its side effects.
One of the last websites I visited during this search of Thalidomide was a website that was titled "Thalidomide Drug Crisis 1960's- All Americans Will Pull together, The Federal Governments Role in Dealing with Disaster". While having just an quick overview look at the page, I thought "WOW it's serious if the president gets into it. From this website I learned that because of doctors being able to prescribe drugs that have not been overseen by FDA or anything that would warn doctors about bodily harm, Thalidomide helped create the new regulation (that is used today) of all drugs being tested and overseen before they are given to doctors to prescribe.
Thalidomide was such a huge influence in America because it eventually changed the way America and the rest of the world approached regulations on drugs given out to patients on all sorts of levels weather it just be for morning sickness, coughs, pains, headaches, etc. I personally believe after doing this project that Thalidomide also made a lead way for Americans having the right to know what exactly the medication they're taking is made of. For example, today if your feeling ill, and you need some Tylenol, or Advil, you are able to pick it up and read all of the ingredients involved with that product as well as its side effects.
