McBride: thalidomide and congenital abnormalities

What changed

Issued a short clinical warning linking maternal thalidomide use to a characteristic pattern of congenital abnormalities.

Scientific scope

The record is McBride's short 1961 Lancet letter and its observational warning. It is not randomized causal proof, does not absorb Widukind Lenz's independent findings or other contributors, and does not by itself establish the later regulatory history.

Evidence

The linked sources identify this contribution and its scope. WRS has not independently reconstructed the scientific claims. The record is McBride's short 1961 Lancet letter and its observational warning. It is not randomized causal proof, does not absorb Widukind Lenz's independent findings or other contributors, and does not by itself establish the later regulatory history.

Contributors

• W. G. McBride · SCIENCE: Named source author of the scoped work; individual effort shares are not measured.

• James Lind Library record of McBride thalidomide letter
• AVITE scan of McBride Lancet letter

Provisional WRS assessment, edition 2026-10-16.1. Independent expert calibration is pending. This grade does not certify correctness or assign ownership.

Full scientific record · Browse contribution grades · Request a correction