Pregnant People Were Shut Out of Covid Vaccine Trials–with Disastrous Results

November 2, 2021

(Politico) – There’s a long history of pharmaceutical companies excluding pregnant people from clinical trials over ethical and legal concerns, a reluctance that traces back to the thalidomide-linked birth defects of the early 1960s. The drug was never approved by the FDA, thanks to the actions of agency reviewer Frances Kelsey, but it was widely used in Europe for several years to treat morning sickness. Thousands of children exposed to the drug in utero were born with birth defects, including flipper-like limbs. Pregnant people in the U.S., who are routinely counseled to avoid everything from sushi and deli meats to hot tubs, are often wary of doing or taking anything that has not been proven safe for their fetuses. Many were understandably wary of getting Covid-19 shots during the first months of the national rollout, without a clear-cut recommendation from health authorities. (Read Full Article)