The Many Faces of Thalidomide (from 1957 to 1966)
The Many Faces of Thalidomide (from 1957 to 1966)
compiled by Randolph Warren
May 7, 1999
As much as possible, this document strives to list all of the brand names thalidomide was available under, and provides a comprehensive list of all the countries thalidomide was available in. Whenever possible, the dates of thalidomide availability in each country is also provided.
In some cases, the "Brand Names" are blank, but it is known that thalidomide was present in the country as proven thalidomide victims are located in that country and the mothers got the drug from there either as samples or from some other source. Some countries have no "Dates Available" reference, but again, the drug was not licensed there and therefore there can be no accurate rendering of when samples were first available. In these cases, the drug could not have been available before October 1, 1957, West Germany’s marketing launch date.
It is virtually impossible to completely list all the brand names and every possibility that thalidomide was available in a certain country when it wasn’t licensed there, but what follows is a compilation from many sources to the best of our ability:
| Country** | Brand Name of Thalidomide | Dates Available |
|
Angola
|
Asmaval, Distaval, Tensival, Valgis
|
|
|
Argentina
|
Softenil
|
withdrawn March 1962
|
|
Australia
|
Asmaval, Distaval, Tensival, Valgis, Valgraine
|
April 1958 - Dec. 1961
|
|
Austria
|
Softenon
|
1958 - Dec. 1961
|
|
Belgium
|
Enterosediv, Noctimid, Softenon
|
1959 - 1962
|
|
Brazil
|
Ectiluran, Ondasil, Sedalis, Sedin, Slip, Verdil
|
March 1959 - June 1962
|
|
Canada
|
Talimol, Kevadon
|
Late 1959 - April 1, 1961 as samples, then licensed and withdrawn on March 2, 1962
|
|
Canary Islands
|
|
1959 - 1961 |
|
Cyprus
|
Softenon
|
April 1961 -
|
|
Denmark
|
Lulanin, Neosedyn
|
Oct. 1959 - Dec. 1961
|
|
Dominican Republic
|
|
not licensed |
|
Finland
|
Enterosediv, Noctosediv, Peracon, Prednisediv, Softenon
|
Sept. 1959 - Dec. 1961
|
|
France
|
|
not licensed
|
|
Ghana
|
Asmaval, Distaval, Tensival, Valgis, Valgraine
|
|
|
Great Britain
|
Asmaval, Distaval, Distaval Forte, Tensival, Valgis, Valgraine
|
April 1958 - Dec. 2, 1961 |
|
Guinea
|
Asmaval, Distaval, Tensival, Valgis, Valgraine
|
withdrawn in 1961 |
|
Hong Kong
|
Poli-Gripan
|
|
|
Hungary
|
|
not licensed |
|
Iran
|
|
1959 - 1966
|
|
Iraq
|
|
1960 - 1961
|
|
Ireland
|
Enterosediv, Noctosediv, Poli-Gripan, Prednisediv, Softenon
|
May 1959 - January 1962
|
|
Israel
|
Thalin, Thalinette
|
for a few weeks only
|
|
Italy
|
Asmadion, Calmorex, Corona-Robetin, Gastrinide, Imidene, Imidene ipnotico, Profarmil, Quetimid, Quietoplex, Sedimide, Sediserpil, Sedoval K-17, Theophyl-Choline, Ulcerfen, Valip
|
still on sale ten months after German withdrawal
|
|
Japan
|
Bonbrain, Glutanon, Isomin, NeoNibrol (also: New Nibrol), Nerufatin, Proban-M, Sanodormin, Shin-Naito-S, Shin Nibrol, Sleepan
|
January 1958 - 1963
Available Over-The-Counter.
|
|
Jordan
|
|
1959 - 1961
|
|
Lebanon
|
|
1959 - 1961
|
|
Malaysia
|
Poli-Gripan
|
|
|
Malta
|
Softenon
|
|
|
Mexico
|
Talargan
|
1959 - 1962
|
|
Mozambique
|
|
1960 - 1961
|
|
Netherlands (Holland)
|
Enterosediv, Noctosediv, Softenon
|
January 1959 - Nov. 1961
|
|
New Zealand
|
Asmaval, Distaval, Tensival, Valgis, Valgraine
|
|
|
Norway
|
Nevrodyn, Neurosedyn
|
Nov. 1959 - Dec. 1961
|
|
Pakistan
|
Poli-Gripan
|
|
|
Peru
|
Softenil
|
|
|
Portugal
|
Algosediv, Contergan, Distaval, Enterosediv, Imida-Lab, Kevadon, Noctosediv, Sedi-Lab, Softenon
|
August 1960 - Dec. 1961
|
|
Saudi Arabia
|
|
1959 - 1961
|
|
Singapore
|
|
|
|
Somalia
|
|
|
|
Spain
|
Imidan, Softenon
|
May 1961 - May 1962 (?)
|
|
Sudan
|
|
1959 - 1961
|
|
Sweden
|
Neurosedyn, Noxodyn, Noxosedyn
|
Sept. 1958 - Dec. 12, 1961, withdrawn a second time March 14, 1962 as first withdrawal was done quietly and not heeded.
|
|
Switzerland
|
Algosediv, Enterosediv, Noctosediv, Softenon
|
Sept. 1958 - Dec. 1961
|
|
Syria
|
|
1959 - 1961
|
|
Taiwan
|
|
Sept. 1958 - 1962
|
|
United States
|
Kevadon
|
1958 - December 1961 as samples only |
|
West Africa
|
Asmaval, Distaval, Tensival, Valgis, Valgraine
|
|
|
West Germany
|
Algosediv, Contergan, Contergan Forte, Contergan Saft, Contergan-Suppositorium, Grippex, Pantosediv, Peracon-Expectorans, Prednisev, Softenon, Softenon Forte
|
October 1, 1957 - November 28, 1961
* This is where it all started!
There were reports of babies being born as early as 1956 but ONLY to employees of the drug company.
|
|
Yugoslavia
|
|
not licensed
|
** The following countries have reported the presence of thalidomide and / or thalidomide victims having been born there, but the actual brand name that was available, likely as samples, and the dates of availability cannot be confirmed; What is clear is that the drug COULD NOT be available before October 1, 1957:
Afghanistan, Bahrain, Bolivia, Burma, Chile, Curacao, East Germany, Ecuador, Egypt, El Salvador, Eritrea, Ethiopia, Gaza, Goa, Greece, Haiti, Kuwait, Nicaragua, Nigeria, Panama, Paraguay, Qatar, Rhodesia, South Africa, Thailand.
|
|
