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Witness History: Thalidomide

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Thalidomide

24/11/2011 GMT

BBC World Service - Witness History, Thalidomide

Fifty years ago the drug thalidomide was found to cause serious damage to unborn children

Fifty years ago the drug thalidomide was found to cause serious damage to the unborn child.

Fifty years ago, the sedative drug thalidomide was withdrawn from sale in Germany and the UK.

It became clear that, if taken by women in early pregnancy, it can cause serious - in many cases, fatal - damage to the unborn child. 

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