Virtually every medical therapy in use today owes its existence to animal experiments. But we can't assume what works in animals will in humans. And sometimes, the mismatch can be dangerous.
About 3% of babies are born with birth defects, when there is a problem with how they develop in the womb.
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The randomised controlled trial is touted as the gold standard in medical research. But its controlled laboratory conditions are far removed from the messy realities of life.
The MHRA has opened an inquiry on the once popular pregnancy test pills. Did they really cause birth defects in children born in the 1970s?
A snapshot of 2015: health reviews, Health Check series, thalidomide series, Medicare versus private health insurance.
AAP; Shutterstock; Julian Smith/; Dave Hunt/AAP
This was the year of the health review – mental health care, Medicare, private health insurance, the pharmacy industry ... and the list goes on. But how much movement was there on policy?
Melbourne woman Lynette Rowe is one of around 10,000 people born with thalidomide-related disabilities.
Julian Smith/AAP
Thalidomide was responsible for one of the biggest drug disasters in history. It is making a comeback. But is Africa equipped to handle this controversial drug?
Fewer than 3,000 thalidomide survivors are alive today.
David Shankbone/Flickr
Reactions to the thalidomiders' difference contributed – and continue to contribute – to their negative well-being and deteriorating health.
Lynette Rowe’s lawyers successfully negotiated a multimillion dollar settlement, but not every compensation case is that successful.
Julian Smith/AAP Image
Decades have passed and yet the issue of financial compensation for the remaining "survivors" of the thalidomide tragedy has, in many instances, remained unresolved.
Michael Magazanik (left) with lead plaintiff Lynette Rowe, her mother and lawyer Peter Gordon during the trial in Melbourne.
AAP/Genevieve Gannon
Journalist-turned-lawyer Michael Magazanik worked on recent Australian thalidomide lawsuits. As part of our series on the drug, he spoke to Ian Freckelton about the book he wrote, based on the case.
Thalidomide was used by the pregnant women – the population that turned out to be most vulnerable to its risks.
Reuters pictures
Thalidomide's manufacturer, Chemie Grünenthal, marketed the drug as safe for pregnant women despite reports it was causing malformations in newborns. Why such blatant denial?
Led a major campaign in the 1970s.
David Shankbone/Flickr
Sir Harold Evans talks to Richard Sambrook about The Sunday Times' moral campaign against thalidomide's manufacturers, the fight for political validation and the rise of investigative journalism.
Thalidomide was initially marketed for daytime use, first as a flu treatment, then as ain aid to reduce stress and anxiety.
1950sUnlimited/Flickr
Thalidomide caused thousands of spontaneous abortions and left more than 10,000 children severely disabled. What guarantee is there that the same thing can’t occur again today?
Research published today has found an association between commonly used antidepressants and birth defects. But pregnant women face greater harms from stopping their medication abruptly.
