Does Benedictin Cause Birth Defects?

Bendectin, a prescription drug designed to combat morning sickness in expectant mothers, was removed from sale in 1983 by its manufacturer Merrell Dow Pharmaceuticals. The drug has been available for over 27 years with over 33 million women around the world using it to combat nausea and vomiting. It was the only drug approved by the FDA at the time to help treat the condition and it is estimated that one in ten pregnant women in the US used the medication.

Bendectin and birth defects have, however, been implicated with over 300 lawsuits being brought against the company claiming damages for deformations in babies that were born to mothers using the drug. The case against the drug, however, is unclear with the FDA finding no association with it and birth defects after an intensive two year review of the available data. The company decided to take the medication off the market in the face of huge increases in its insurance premiums.