The 1941 sulfathiazole disaster - anyone else here ever heard of it?

[rph3664]

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Not the 1937 sulfanilamide disaster, where the drug was sold dissolved in antifreeze, resulting in the deaths of more than 100 people, but this, where it was contaminated with fatal doses of phenobarbital? I never heard of it until just now! (For that matter, I've always been horrified at how few of my colleagues knew about the 1937 incident.) THIS disaster led to more than THREE HUNDRED deaths, according to some sources.

Chemical & Engineering News: Top Pharmaceuticals: Phenobarbital

I also did not know that this was how barbituric acid got its name.

 

[Old Timer]

Not the 1937 sulfanilamide disaster, where the drug was sold dissolved in antifreeze, resulting in the deaths of more than 100 people, but this, where it was contaminated with fatal doses of phenobarbital? I never heard of it until just now! (For that matter, I've always been horrified at how few of my colleagues knew about the 1937 incident.) THIS disaster led to more than THREE HUNDRED deaths, according to some sources.

Chemical & Engineering News: Top Pharmaceuticals: Phenobarbital

I also did not know that this was how barbituric acid got its name.

Everybody who went to Pharmacy School with me learned about this. It was after this the Congress passed a law mandating drugs be safe. It wasn't until the 1960's drugs had to safe and effective. All drugs manufactured before that were given a grace period to prove they were effective. These drugs were called DESI drugs. Drug Efficacy and Safety Implementation.

 

[PharmDBro2017]

Everyone is taught this is school...


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[BidingMyTime]

I did not learn this in school (or maybe it was taught on a day I skipped class?) What a terrible tragedy.

 

[Dred Pirate]

how does somebody graduate and take a law class and not know this?

 

[RxPreceptor]

Like totally, it was suppose to be Peanut Butter (PB) formulation, but someone messed up abbreviations...hmmm now anticipating PB2 recall being contaminated with lead (Pb^2+) by FDA

 

[rph3664]

We learned about the 1938 act, but not why it was implemented.

 

[VA77]

Yeah we most certainly learned of this incident because it happened so close to where I live. One of my undergrad professor's uncle worked at Massengill at the time. I don't know how you could teach a law class without cause and effect because I don't know of a single law that was created from being proactive instead of reactive.

 

[lord999]

Everybody who went to Pharmacy School with me learned about this. It was after this the Congress passed a law mandating drugs be safe. It wasn't until the 1960's drugs had to safe and effective. All drugs manufactured before that were given a grace period to prove they were effective. These drugs were called DESI drugs. Drug Efficacy and Safety Implementation.

Agreed, surprised it's not discussed in law or in your analysis class in the present day (then again, pharmaceutical analysis is not a required part of the curriculum anymore). Loss of science for clinical, something has got to give. Not like pharmacists need to know why anymore outside of them getting paid...

And also the circumstances for CSA 1975's predecessor, the Harrison Act where "addiction is not a disease." That's still at the old basis for why methadone was not used for heroin addiction up to a couple years ago.