In the year 1954, a German pharmaceutical company called Chemie Grünenthal synthesized drug called Thalidomide, it was introduced as an effective sedative used to treat the symptoms of morning sickness in pregnant women. It was soon discovered that Thalidomide was in fact a potent teratogen* that could cause dysmelia, peripheral neuropathy and in some cases, premature termination of pregnancy; it was because of these reasons that thalidomide was removed from the world’s pharmacy shelfs in the early 1960’s. Today, almost 62 years after its original discovery, thalidomide is again in use, this time in an attempt to improve and potentially save the lives of patients living with acute skin conditions such as leprosy, certain types of cancer and in some cases HIV patients can benefit from this drug.
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The German manufacturer discovered that Thalidomide could also be used as an effective sedative which could counteract the feeling of nausea associated with morning sickness. Between the years of 1957 to 1962, Thalidomide was prescribed to expecting mothers; patients and doctors encou8ntered a major setback when mothers began to give birth to children with truncated limbs, malformations and even suffered miscarriages. In a 1962 study of 2 children born of mothers who were prescribed Thalidomide during the first trimester. The study reports severe malformations and death of one of the children. The report expresses similarities between both cases, the most important manifestation of the effects of thalidomide are the incomplete lower and upper extremities and in one case, the complete lack of these. “…upper limbs: there were no ossification centers of any of the upper limbs… lower limbs: neither femur was present…”
The German manufacturer discovered that Thalidomide could also be used as an effective sedative which could counteract the feeling of nausea associated with morning sickness. Between the years of 1957 to 1962, Thalidomide was prescribed to expecting mothers; patients and doctors encou8ntered a major setback when mothers began to give birth to children with truncated limbs, malformations and even suffered miscarriages. In a 1962 study of 2 children born of mothers who were prescribed Thalidomide during the first trimester. The study reports severe malformations and death of one of the children. The report expresses similarities between both cases, the most important manifestation of the effects of thalidomide are the incomplete lower and upper extremities and in one case, the complete lack of these. “…upper limbs: there were no ossification centers of any of the upper limbs… lower limbs: neither femur was present…”