thalidomide

thalidomide A drug (brand name: Thalomid) that was used in the 1950s and early 1960s to treat morning sickness in pregnancy. The use of thalidomide had tragic results: When taken during pregnancy, it can cause a syndrome of congenital malformations in the developing fetus. Thalidomide was then not approved for marketing in the US and it was taken off the market in other countries. However, in 1998 it was approved by the US Food and Drug Administration (FDA) for the treatment of a skin condition that is due to leprosy (erythema nodosum leprosum). Thalidomide appears to modify the reaction of the immune system to the leprosy bacterium and thereby suppresses the skin reaction. It also appears to have other beneficial uses in the treatment of several different types of cancer, HIVrelated ulcers, and some autoimmune diseases. Thalidomide is a potent teratogen and should never be taken by women who are or could become pregnant. See also thalidomide baby; thalidomide syndrome, teratogen.