In modern medical articles, "Thalidomide " is the most frequently mentioned name that represents evil. This drug, which was hastily launched more than 60 years ago and was withdrawn after only a few years, still brings shame to modern medicine and leaves people involved in pain.
"Thalidomide" is also called thalidomide . was synthesized as an antibiotic by a German company in 1953. After synthesis, it was found that it had no antibiotic activity, but had a sedative effect. Therefore, it was marketed as a sedative-hypnotic in 1956 and could be used to treat morning sickness , nausea and other pregnancy reactions. soon became popular in European countries and Canada . But everything must be reversed.
In December 1959, West German pediatrician Weidenbach first reported a case of rare malformation in a baby girl. In October 1961, at the former West German Gynecology Academic Conference, three doctors separately reported that many babies had similar malformations. These deformed babies have no arms and legs, and their hands and feet are directly connected to the body, much like the limbs of a seal, so they are called " seal limb malformations" and " seal fetuses".
Medical research shows that the cause of "seal fetus" is caused by women taking "Thalidomide" in early pregnancy. From the entry of thalidomide into the market in 1956 to the withdrawal of the drug in 1962, more than 10,000 cases of "seal fetuses" were reported in more than 30 countries and regions around the world (including Taiwan Province of my country). The sales volume of thalidomide is positively correlated.
The adverse reactions of taking thalidomide include dry mouth , dizziness, fatigue, nausea, abdominal pain, facial swelling , etc., and there are also strong teratogenic effects of thalidomide on humans and animals. The toxicity is extremely low. For example, taking 14 grams will not cause death. However, its can selectively act on the embryo, and its toxicity to the embryo is significantly greater than that of the mother. Its teratogenic effect on the fetus can be as high as 50% to 80%. When taken during the 3rd to 8th week of pregnancy, the incidence of malformations in offspring can be as high as 100%. Studies have shown that thalidomide has an obvious sensitive period for embryo toxicity. Taking thalidomide at different stages of pregnancy can cause different malformations. If you take the medicine 34 to 38 days after menopause, it can cause anotia and cranial nerve malformations; if you take medicine 36 to 45 days after menopause, it can cause heart and blood vessel malformations; 38 to 47 days after menopause, it can cause deficiency. Arms and short feet; however, taking medication 50 days after menopause generally does not cause deformities. The occurrence of "seal fetuses" is caused by most pregnant women taking medication 24-33 days after conception, resulting in 12,000 deformed babies being born worldwide. 4,000 died before the age of 1.
Since November 1961, "Thalidomide" has been forced to withdraw in various countries around the world. After a long legal battle, the German company that developed "Thalidomide" agreed to compensate the victims. losses and was forced to close down.
Just when "Thalidomide" was gaining notoriety, an Israeli doctor accidentally discovered that "Thalidomide" had a good effect on leprosy erythema nodosum. In recent years, he discovered that it also had a good effect. It has immunosuppressive effect and can be used for bone marrow transplantation.
The teratogenic incident of "Thalidomide" is the product of the imperfect drug approval system, the result of people relaxing their vigilance on the "three-point poison" of drugs, and the result of businessmen who are unconscionable and eager for quick success. . The 12,000 deformed babies born around the world are a tragedy and a trauma of an era. As a pharmaceutical staff, what we can do is to always be alert to the toxic and side effects of drugs and guide patients to use drugs rationally. . For the country, it is necessary to improve the drug approval system and increase the coverage of drug approval so that such "seal fetus" incidents will never happen again and history will not repeat itself.
