Before I know her, I watched a video in my favorite platform youtube :') about Thalidomide I'm always intrigue with something related to past and how human race progress. So ya I'll watch about thalidomide.
Thalidomide, sold under the brand name Immunoprin, among others, is an immunomodulatory drug and the prototype of the thalidomide class of drugs. Today, thalidomide is used mainly as a treatment of certain cancers (multiple myeloma) and of a complication of leprosy. (en.wikipedia.org)
But before it use to treat cancer, it was known as 'magical drug' in sedative medications back in 1950-1960. This medication was so good to be true :') it was widely use everywhere, then there is a problem pregnant woman who consume thalidomide during pregnancy apparently have some 'problem' with their child, they usually doesn't born normal. It called birth defect also known as a congenital disorder, is a condition present at birth regardless of its cause. It can range from moderate malformation to more severe forms. Possible birth defects include phocomelia, dysmelia, amelia, bone hypoplasticity, and other congenital defects affecting the ear, heart, or internal organs.
And here's come our hero Frances Kelsey who worked at the Food and Drug Administration’s at the time, was in charge of thalidomide case. She struggle to tell the truth because thalidomide was such a profitable business and not to mentioned it was quite big deal. She kept rejecting the application about thalidomide, and the problem started to come to the surface back to 1961 thalidomide was widely use by pregnant woman, cause a lot of birth defect. And after a rough fight she can finally tell the truth about thalidomide.
P.S. President John F. Kennedy gave Dr. Frances Oldham Kelsey the nation’s highest federal civilian service award in 1962, saying she had “prevented a major tragedy of birth deformities.” :))
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