thalidomide

tha·lid·o·mide | \ thə-ˈli-də-ˌmīd

, -məd \

Definition of thalidomide

: a drug C₁₃H₁₀N₂O₄ that was formerly used as a sedative and is now used as an immunomodulatory agent especially in the treatment of leprosy and multiple myeloma and that is known to cause malformations of infants born to mothers using it during pregnancy

Examples of thalidomide in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web Additionally, thalidomide, prescribed in Europe and other countries during the 1950s for morning sickness, was found to cause birth defects, though it was never approved in the U.S. thanks to an FDA pharmacologist, Dr. Frances Oldham Kelsey. — Miriam Fauzia, USA TODAY, "Fact check: Pregnant women do receive vaccines, but more study needed on COVID-19 shot," 29 Dec. 2020 According to an article from Northwestern University, thalidomide sales at the time rivaled those of aspirin. — Brian Gordon, USA TODAY, "Fact check: Thalidomide, COVID-19 vaccine comparisons are misleading," 18 Dec. 2020 Yet connecting thalidomide to COVID-19 vaccines is misleading. — Brian Gordon, USA TODAY, "Fact check: Thalidomide, COVID-19 vaccine comparisons are misleading," 18 Dec. 2020 By all accounts, Thomson gave Mr. Evans a free hand in publishing sensitive stories, including the series on thalidomide. — Washington Post, "Harold Evans, crusading editor on both sides of the Atlantic, dies at 92," 24 Sep. 2020 Back in the 1950s, thalidomide was approved to lessen nausea among pregnant women. — Sam Coffey, sun-sentinel.com, "Patience key as we await COVID-19 vaccine | Opinion," 3 Dec. 2020 Whether these protections would catch another thalidomide-like drug before tragedy occurs is unclear. — Jyoti Madhusoodanan/undark, Popular Science, "How do we know if medicines are safe during pregnancies?," 2 Oct. 2020 Her younger brother, James, is disabled, blind in one eye and in constant pain, after their mother took the morning-sickness drug thalidomide during pregnancy. — Helen Lewis, The Atlantic, "Earldoms for Girldom," 14 Nov. 2020 Beginning in 1957, another drug, thalidomide, was distributed to thousands of pregnant women around the world as a remedy for morning sickness. — Jyoti Madhusoodanan/undark, Popular Science, "How do we know if medicines are safe during pregnancies?," 2 Oct. 2020

These example sentences are selected automatically from various online news sources to reflect current usage of the word 'thalidomide.' Views expressed in the examples do not represent the opinion of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.

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Last Updated

18 Jan 2021

Cite this Entry

“Thalidomide.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/thalidomide. Accessed 23 Jan. 2021.

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More Definitions for thalidomide

thalidomide

noun

tha·lid·o·mide | \ thə-ˈlid-ə-ˌmīd

, -məd

Medical Definition of thalidomide

: a sedative, hypnotic, and antiemetic drug C₁₃H₁₀N₂O₄ that was formerly used chiefly in Europe during the late 1950s and early 1960s especially to treat morning sickness but was soon withdrawn after being shown to cause serious malformations (as missing or severely shortened arms and legs) in infants born to mothers using it during the first trimester of pregnancy and that is now used as an immunomodulatory agent chiefly in the treatment of cutaneous complications of leprosy and in combination with dexamethasone in the treatment of multiple myeloma