B2 – Upper Intermediate
An Australian doctor named William McBride published a letter in The Lancet in 1961. This letter indicated the connection between thalidomide and its impact on the development of an unborn child. This was the first public findings on the harmful effects of this drug.
Let’s read the article and know more about this drug and how it devastated tens of thousands of families in the past.
https://www.english-online.at/health_medicine/thalidomide/thalidomide-victims.htm
Vocabulary Questions:
- What is the meaning of the adjective “malformed“. “Thousands of other babies survived but their limbs, eyes, ears and internal organs were severely malformed.” Use it in a sentence.
- Define the word “lawsuit“. “After a series of lawsuits Thalidomide was withdrawn from the market.” Use it in your own sentence and give two synonyms.
- What does the word “withdraw” mean here? “After a series of lawsuits Thalidomide was withdrawn from the market.” Use it in a sentence.
Discussion Questions:
- What is thalidomide and what was it used for?
- How did it affect the offspring of the mothers who took them?
- According to the article, what is the drug used for at present?
- Given the enormity of its ill-effects, do you think it should be completely banned? Why or why not?
- Talk about a drug that had been withdrawn from the market due to its adverse effects on patients.
2 replies on “Thalidomide Malformed Children”
Discussion Questions:
1. What is thalidomide and what was it used for?
Was a drug use in the past for, above all, for: headaches, calm you down and morning sickness of pregnant women.
2. How did it affect the offspring of the mothers who took them?
Terribles side-effect, for instance, the dead of their babies before the can actually were born, and for the born babies a lot of problems of malformation in their bodies that disabled them for the rest of their lives.
3. According to the article, what is the drug used for at present?
To mitigate or treat some Cancer, Leprosy and AIDS symptoms
4. Given the enormity of its ill-effects, do you think it should be completely banned? Why or why not?
I think that if this drug is effective against some illness like cancer bones, leprosy, Aids, it ok to commercialese the drug for this purpose, but only under supervision and very well labelled in order to avoid problems again with pregnant women.
5. Talk about a drug that had been withdrawn from the market due to its adverse effects on patients.
Some months ago, I read about some Indian Cough Syrup sold in Africa that killed several babies. In fact, was in Gambia and more la 60 children passed away for this problem according to the BBC news…
Your consistency with your writing practice is admirable. Keep going!
Take a look at how you can write this sentence better:
Until the next one!