Phocomelia

Excerpt

Phocomelia is a rare congenital defect defined by the absence of intermediate segments of the extremity. Children with phocomelia present with their hands or feet directly attached to the trunk. Phocomelia is famously a teratogenic side effect of the drug "thalidomide," a drug first marketed to treat anxiety and morning sickness. Despite claims that the drug was safe during pregnancy, it was removed from the market in the 1960s when clinicians noted an association with phocomelia. Forty percent of patients affected by the teratogenic effects of thalidomide died near the time of birth. These congenital disabilities had a profound social and political impact on drug regulation and proof of safety.