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Frances Oldham Kelsey (1914-) is an American pharmacologist most famous as a reviewer for the US Food and Drug Administration who refused to authorize thalidomide for market when she had serious concerns about the drug's safety.
That stand turned out to be more than justified when it was discovered that the drug penetrated the placenta and caused serious birth defects in infants.
Dr. Kelsey was hailed as a hero and was awarded the Distinguished Federal Civilian Service medal for averting the disaster in the US. Furthermore, drug testing was reformed to avoid similar problems.
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