This 12-minute video chronicles how thalidomide, once prescribed to pregnant women to combat morning sickness, was tied to a wave of devastating birth defects, leading the federal government to enact a process for drug approval. The video documents how President John F. Kennedy used the crisis created by thalidomide to dramatically expand regulatory control over the pharmaceutical industry; it can be used to initiate a discussion about how public policy is made. By highlighting the efforts of one young female scientist at the Food and Drug Administration, who sounded the alarm on thalidomide’s dangers and became a national hero, the video also shows how professionalism within the civil service can have a profound impact on the wellbeing of everyday Americans. This story can be used by science teachers to illustrate the research and discovery process by documenting the journey of thalidomide from pharmaceutical to banned substance to its reemergence today as a treatment for various cancers.
Thalidomide: Return of an Infamous Pill
How a pill that led to drug safety guidelines became a case study for rising drug prices.
Strict prescription drug safety regulations in place today resulted in part from the devastating consequences of a pill prescribed during pregnancy that was originally thought to be harmless. Strict F.D.A. safety guidelines were developed after thalidomide left a trail of severe birth defects. Today, it has become a case study for rising drug prices.
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For teachers
- Lesson plan 1: Influencing Public Policy: The Story of Thalidomide
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- Producer: Kit R. Roane
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Lesson Plan 1: Influencing Public Policy: The Story of Thalidomide