Dr. Kelsey Blocks Harmful Drug

Dr. Frances Kelsey, a Canadian-American pharmacologist at the FDA in the 1960s, refused to authorize thalidomide despite immense pressure from its manufacturer. Her skepticism and insistence on more testing prevented a national tragedy, as the drug was later linked to severe birth defects. Her stand not only saved thousands of children but also led to major reforms in U.S. drug approval laws.

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