The Effects Of Distributing Thalidomide On The Late 1950s

As Rosemarie Garland Thomson states, "Disability performance art is a genre of self-representation, a form of autobiography, that merges the visual with the narrative." (Thomson 1). Duffy, an Irishwoman, is armless and has a delicate hand attached directly to one shoulder. She is a survivor of the effects of the Thalidomide drug. This drug was introduced in West Germany in 1956. The Thalidomide drug was used to treat nausea and vomiting associated with pregnancy, in addition to its uses as a sedative and hypnotic. It was not until 1961 that the drug was taken off the market, being identified as a human teratogen. More than 10,000 infants worldwide were born with malformations attributed to this drug, specifically malformations in the upper extremities.

It was mainly used to treat the common symptoms associated with pregnancy. It was also used for epilepsy, however, there was a lack of empirical evidence supporting its use as an appropriate measure for epilepsy. The drug received an abundance of praise for its ability to relieve nausea and when 1957 hit, it was branded as a suitable treatment for morning sickness. On the surface, it did well for the mother but indirect affects on the baby in the mother’s womb were occurring. It wasn’t until hundreds of cases of malformations in children came about, that we realized it was correlated with mothers who had taken thalidomide during their pregnancy. In all, 8,000-12,000 babies were affected and only about 5,000 surviving after childhood. Some might assume that the dated year of this case is the reason why it might’ve happened and that science wouldn’t let this happen in the 20th century. The case of Vioxx, which was launched in 1999, proves that safety is not

Many people might wonder why kids are born differently than what most consider “normal.” Multiple substances are effects that cause these fetus to develop wrong and not in usual routine that is normally seen in pregnancies. If a pregnant woman chose the wrong temptation and consumed substances that are known to cause damage and can be fatal to a baby, these mothers are making the worst mistake of taking the life of their own child away before the baby can experience what life is. Carrying a baby in the womb is one of the most heaviest challenges a woman can face and many females go wrong by falling into various temptations by not having enough information in pregnancies and going on with their daily lifestyle instead of learning about instant fetal deaths.

In general, with every pregnancy there is a 3-5% chance of having a baby with a birth defect. If a woman takes Thalidomide during her first trimester of pregnancy, the chance of her giving birth to a child with a birth defect increased to a 20%+ chance and the fetal and infant death rate is estimated to be 40% or more due to severe birth defects. (Thalidomide Side Effects on Babies). A portion of the children who suffer from birth defects caused by Thalidomide also suffer from developmental disabilities such as autism. Thalidomide victim survivors still suffer from these symptoms today. How does Thalidomide create all of these issues? The answer is science. The placenta is a very important organ that develops in the womb during pregnancy. The placenta nourishes the baby through through the umbilical cord and gets rid of all waste. The placenta is the first line of defense for the baby. It is a barrier that many harmful substances do not have the ability to cross. Before a pharmaceutical is offered to

In the 1950s to 1960s, there was another rise in fetal birth defects called the “thalidomide scare”. Thalidomide was used to relieve morning sickness experienced during pregnancy. This scare caused scientists to realize that certain types of drugs given during pregnancy, affected the development of the fetus. It wasn’t until 1973, when two pediatricians, David Smith and Kenneth Jones, whom specialized in dysmorphology, the study of abnormalities present at birth, published their article on Fetal Alcohol Syndrome. In their study, they examined eight children to determine what caused their developmental impediments. These children were characterized with growth deficiencies, microcephaly, and impaired cognitive development. All their mothers were alcoholics, which resulted in Smith and Jones to believe alcohol was causing defects in the offspring [2].

The same drug that caused thousands of birth defects is now being utilised as a way to help mouth sores in AIDs patients as well as a medicine to help with pancreatic cancer and other diseases (Feller, 2016). In the 1950’s and 60’s thalidomide was a drug used as a sedative that quickly became primarily for pregnant women with bad morning sickness. However, there were soon many birth defects that came from the mothers who were using thalidomide while pregnant (Winerip, 2013). Instead of giving birth to healthy babies, children were being born without ears or with flippers replacing their arms. The connection between thalidomide and the birth defects were not made right away causing the problem to be widespread. Thalidomide was and still is

phocomelia, dysmelia, amelia, bone hypoplasticity are some of the aftereffects of the mother's taking the drug. At the time in 1957 people were rushing to buy sleeping pills or other medication to help with any problems they we experiencing, so when Thalidomide came onto the market, they had no idea what they were actually putting into their body. ¨The German makers of the drug advertised the peroduct as completely safe for everyone including mother and child because they couldn't find a dose high enough to kill a rat.¨ says Helix Magazine. 40% of the children died before their first birthday, the ones who survived had to learn to cope.

The case is Mrs. Finkbine wants an abortion after finding out her baby may be deformed from her uses of a tranquilizer containing thalidomide. This drug mostly caused babies to be born without ears, arms, legs or they were severely deformed limbs, although it could also affect other organs such as the brain. For the most part, they were physical deformities that didn’t affect the mental capacity of the babies. The dilemma is whether or not it is ethical to have an abortion just because there is a chance the baby may be deformed, especially since the law at the time in her area was that abortions could only be done if the mother’s life was in danger. I support Sherri Finkbine’s decision to have an abortion, even if the baby just had physical deformities, it would negatively affect the child’s quality of life, which agrees with the principle of greatest happiness.

When taken in the first trimester thalidomide prevented the proper growth of the fetus, and resulting in a birth defect in thousands of children around the world. When taken in first world countries between day 20 to 36 of fertilization. The child or children would be born with limb and other birth defects. During the 1950s and 1960s the children were known as Thalidomide babies. The damage or the drug, which manifested itself in the form of absence or severe deformation of the extremities ( arms, legs, hands and feet) and sometimes damage to the eyes, ears and internal organs. One pill during the first three to four months is enough to cause these birth defects.

What grabbed my attention is the method that was utilized to test the amount of drugs the fetus had been exposed in the addict’s womb. The umbilical cord was used to test for fetal exposure to drugs such as cocaine, heroin, LSD, and so forth. The addicts failed to realize that the fetus consumes everything from the mother, and drugs caused permanent damages to the fetus’ brain circumference, which cause cognitive deficit, have low birth weight, and problems in the fetus’ organs. This reminds me of a client who had delivered a four pound baby girl and a couple days later, the baby passed away due to the client’s protracted addiction to poly-drug abuse.

From 1958 through 1961 a mild barbiturate wreaked havoc for expectant mothers and their fetuses. The drug was originally marketed in Europe, by a pharmaceutical company named Grunenthal. The, unknown at the time teratogen or placenta passing, drug is called Thalidomide. Its popularity grew quickly because it is nonlethal, even in overdose, and a deadly quantity has yet to be found. Thalidomide is still used today, despite the extraordinary suffering, it has caused. Alas, Thalidomide was prescribed to pregnant women to help them through pregnancy symptoms, caused thousands of infants to be born with terrible deformities and deficient in countless areas, and has made a life of struggles for the children of Thalidomide.

When the drug came into question around 1961, it took a long time before Chemie Grünenthal took responsibility for the mass of tragedies. In the beginning of the trials that would expose the untrustworthy nature of Chemie Grünenthal, they denied all allegations of being connected with the thousands of babies born with severe birth defects. They blamed everything from “nuclear fallout to botched home abortions” (Schlager 2008). Settlements were made to assist Thalidomide babies. However, now those affected who are well into their fifties claim that those settlements are no longer enough to cover the costs anymore (Winerip 2013). It took a long and unnecessary battle, but Thalidomide was banned in 1962. Dr. Kelsey, a hero of the time and the one who blocked the licensing of Thalidomide in the United States, then created regulations for the FDA that still control testing today. It called for complete use of ethical practice, the precautionary principle, which assumes that all drugs are dangerous until proven safe to ensure the safety of citizens from unknown dangers. As a result of this dark spot in world history, Congress passed legislation dictating that the testing of drugs on patients without their consent is illegal, and requires thorough and reliable testing before any distribution whatsoever (N.a., 2015). Even though it was acknowledged that Thalidomide was a drug

Thalidomide was a drug made to treat many different health problems and is now known as one of the worst teratogens in history. Thalidomide is most well-known to help with morning sickness in pregnant women, but that’s not what its original purpose was. The original purpose of thalidomide was to use for respiratory problems. Another use of thalidomide that was practiced was to “provide a safe sound sleep” (Thalidomide Victims Association of Canada, n.d.). Overall thalidomide was used as a sedative and was a wonder drug, because it helped many problems. The problems that thalidomide caused were on a global scale. Thalidomide was an over- the- counter drug for multiple countries across the world. In most countries thalidomide was prescribed by a doctor in a certain dose. Some countries that used Thalidomide include Canada, Germany, UK, and Brazil. Including these, Thalidomide was used in about 30 other countries, and effected them on different scales. The problems that thalidomide was originally intended to fix, could have been fixed many other, safer ways. For morning sickness, there are hundreds of safe home remedies, instead of taking Thalidomide. For respiratory problems, you can take an inhaler, or have an oxygen mask. Also, for sleeping problems, there are multiple home remedies. You can take melatonin, which relaxes you, and can naturally be found in the body. A German pharmaceutical company, Grunenthal, was the first to start

The outcomes of 135 pregnancies exposed to psychotropic drugs and 275 control pregnancies. The women who participated in this study completed a detailed survey to gather information on each patient’s history. At birth, each newborn was examined for health issues and was followed up with during a two-year time period.

After reading “Shaped by Life in the Womb” by Begley (1999), I found it very interesting how the weight of a newborn child could influence their chances of developing a disease later in their life. For example, a man who weighed less than 5.5 pounds at birth has a 50% higher chance of dying from heart disease than a man who weighed more (Begley, 1999, p. 53). The way mothers live can tremendously impact their baby no matter how big or little. This article relates to topics presented in the text readings because the text explains how teratogens can affect the baby in the womb. Pages 56-57 in Begley’s (1999) article, provide some teratogens that were mentioned in the book as well. We all know how smoking, alcohol, and drugs are popular teratogens,