This was an incredibly powerful book. I had read a book before about the FDA and how it was first formed b/c of so much the corruption within political ranks. I had no idea that even in the 50’s and 60’s the lack of oversight was still so low and politicians still had a great amount of influence. Thankfully, one woman, who was a dedicated scientist, wasn’t afraid to ask the hard questions and refused to approve drugs that didn’t show that they had been tested and proven safe. Thalidomide was the first to hit her desk and she went after it hard. The pharmaceutical company was incredibly elusive over this miracle sleeping pill, which they secretly handed out to on/gyn’s to test in the US. Meanwhile, in Europe it was used freely and sold over the counter. A pediatrician though, started noticing healthy young women giving birth to babies with missing limbs. After speaking to these women, he realized Thalidomide was the culprit. When our agent in the US got ahold of his research, it became a battle against big pharma to find out the truth and try and protect American citizens. Absolutely riveting book.

Wonder Drug is a solid account of the history of thalidomide, including who knew what when and what they did or didn't do about it. Like--I think, many people--I knew about thalidomide's use in German, the UK, and the US, but never knew that in the US, it was never approved by the government and was handed out widely without prescriptions or tracking. Vanderbes's writing is clear and compelling, and this book can serve as an excellent model for investigative reporting in medicine.

I knew some things about this drug from science classes, however this read was super eye opening to just how unregulated things used to be. I found this book so well written. I would highly recommend to anyone who enjoys medical nonfiction!

Wow, what an amazing read on so many levels! I had never heard of thalidomide before, and was in awe of the brave people who stood up to speak out about the drug, as well as the "thalidomide babies" who created their own strong community as they came together.

Personally, there's so many times when doctors just prescribe me multiple drugs (and quickly diagnose me based on their own presumptions) without explaining what they are giving me, and flippantly saying everything is safe. Even when I try to speak up to avoid drug usage, they tend to dismiss my concerns. We definitely need stricter regulations on prescriptions and drugs, and stop throwing pills at people, from kids to adults to "fix" things. And why do so many things we use and consume daily have so many toxic ingredients? Plus, the whole marketing aspect of promoting unsafe products has been out of control. There's so much to think about and discuss, and this book brought up a myriad of issues we need to address.

Notable lines:

"Names of trial doctors, forever guarded, meant that patients might never know they'd been used as guinea pigs. On all sides, the law shielded doctors, leaving patients defenseless."

"Mothers took more blame than the drug firms or doctors."

"'It is chilling to think that under the current laws, several companies could have suspected the teratogenic effects of this drug and quietly developed their marketing plans without disclosing the hazard.'-Frances Kelsey, 1962"



Thank you to NetGalley for an ARC for an honest review.

What an absolutely horrifying and fascinating read this was... I was familiar with the thalidomide issue, having previously worked in pharmaceutical regulatory affairs, but had no idea of exactly the scope and scale of the bad behavior on all sides in this particular global disaster.. Vanderbes has done a fantastic job highlighting the failures on all fronts, as well as the few unsung/under-sung heroes/heroines to be found. In a narrative style that reads like fiction, she tells this story in a way that cannot fail to have an impact on those who read it.

I first heard about thalidomide on an episode of Call the Midwife, and I was duly horrified by its effects. I now incorporate it in my teaching of 1950s America to show that not all "advancements" were good and beneficial. This book added so much to my overall understanding of how this drug came into being and wound up in the hands of so many. Vanderbes does an amazing job presenting her painstakingly researched topic. She approaches the history with considerable detail and the surviving thalidomide babies with tact and understanding. While this is a heart wrenching topic, I do think many people will find it a fascinating expose on a snapshot of medical history.

This book gives a a meticulously researched, comprehensive, and compelling overview of the history of thalidomide and its devastating impacts. Although I had heard of thalidomide and its teratogenic effects, the scope of the lies and cover-ups from the drug companies, medical community, and government was new to me.

I appreciated that the book was organized in such a way to give the current complete picture. It begins with an overview of how thalidomide was discovered and why it was pushed as a miracle, "wonder" drug. Learning about the origins of the doctors who first championed thalidomide was also thought-provoking. Many know about the medical atrocities carried out during World War II, but the aftermath of what happened to the doctors responsible is not so widely known.

The book then gives a in-depth overview of the marketing campaigns and disorganized, barely documented clinical trials in the United States. Goings-on in Germany are also discussed. Woven throughout are the stories of Drs. Frances Kelsey, Helen Taussig, and Barbara Moulton, who I enjoyed learning about. Other key figures are also prominent, such as Estes Kefauver, Dr. Widukind Lenz, and Karl and Linde Schulte-Hillen. Snippets from court proceedings, interviews, and other documents are included at the end of each chapter, which help bring the events to life.

The story of thalidomide is also the story of more stringent drug laws and regulations regarding clinical trials and the relationship between pharmaceutical sales representatives and physicians. I also liked learning more about the FDA and its processes. The book closes with a discussion of the "thalidomide babies" in the U.S. and their ongoing efforts to receive compensation and acknowledgement of the damage thalidomide has done. The epilogue also describes thalidomide today and the conditions for which it is being investigated as a potential medication (leprosy, myeloma, etc.)

I would recommend this book to anyone who enjoys investigative journalism and wants to learn more about the drug industry. The book is engaging, easy to read, and gives light to events that have been continuously denied or otherwise concealed.

Meticulously researched this book details the history of the drug Thalidomide and it's use of prescribing to pregnant women in the late 50's. It couples its history with some tidbits from those that were directly affected by their mothers use of this horrible drug. Finally, throughout this book you will learn about the tireless effort one doctor went through to put an end to this. Thanks to the author, the publisher and Netgalley for an advanced copy in exchange for my honest opinion.