SIGNIFICANT DATES 

1953 - Chemie Gruenenthal of West Germany synthesized thalidomide.

1957 - Thalidomide was place in commercial use in West Germany.

1959 - January - The William S. Merrell Company of Cincinnati, Ohio commenced production of thalidomide under the brand name Kevadon.

1959 - June 23 - Merrell advised the Food and Drug Directorate of Canada's Department of National Health and Welfare that samples of Kevadon were being shipped to "qualified investigators" in Canada for clinical investigation.

1959 - June 25 - the Director of the Food and Drug Directorate acknowledged receipt of the Merrell letter.

1960 - September 8 - Merrell submitted data concerning Kevadon to the Food and Drug Directorate (Canada). Merrell submitted this data to the Food and Drug Administration (United States) four days later.

1960 - November 22 - Merrell received a notice of compliance from the Canadian Food and Drug Directorate, authorizing the drug to be marketed on a prescription basis in Canada.

1960 - December - Articles appeared in a British medical journal warning that thalidomide was a possible cause of peripheral neuritis, a severe form of nerve damage.

1961* - April 1 - Merrell began marketing thalidomide for prescription sale in Canada under the brand name Kevadon.

1961* - November 27 - Chemie Gruenenthal took the drug off the market in West Germany.

1961 - November 30 - Merrell revealed the possibility that congenital malformations could be attributed to thalidomide.

1961* - December 2 - Distillers Company (Biochemicals) Limited took the drug off the market in the United Kingdom.

1961 - December 5 - Merrell mailed a letter to all Canadian doctors containing a warning that thalidomide was contra-indicated for pregnant women.

1962 - February 21 - Merrell sent a further follow-up warning to Canadian doctors.

1962* - March 2 - The Canadian Food and Drug Directorate advised that thalidomide should be removed from the market in Canada.

1962 - April 27 - A letter from the Director of Food and Drug Directorate suggested the possibility that thalidomide could be reinstated.

1962 - December 4 - Canada's Food and Drugs Act was amended.

1987 - June - H. Clifford Chadderton, Chief Executive Officer of The War Amps, established the Thalidomide Task Force to address the needs of Canadian thalidomide victims.

1988 - November - The Thalidomide Victims Association of Canada is established. Thalidomide victim Randy Warren of London is named as President.

1988 - June - The Thalidomide Victims Foundation of Canada is incorporated.

Facts: Thalidomide was publicized as a wonder drug and was vigorously marketed and distributed.

Thalidomide was given to pregnant women in the treatment of nausea and insomnia. The extent to which the drug damaged the fetus was dependent upon when it was taken during gestation.

More than 8,000 people around the world are known to have been born with disabilities associated with thalidomide.

The standard description of the thalidomide-damaged person envisages loss of all four limbs, loss of two limbs or loss of fingers and toes. Many however, suffered extensive damage to their internal organs, resulting in: hearing loss, gastro-intestinal and genital-urinary problems, heart problems and the loss of certain motor skills.

Merrell, the U.S. drug company, indicated that 6,423,795 thalidomide tablets (under the trade name Kevadon) were distributed in Canada.