Thalidomide's Lingering Shadow: Why True Protection for Pregnant Women Demands Their Inclusion in Clinical Trials

The word "thalidomide" casts a long, dark shadow over medical history. In the late 1950s and early 1960s, this seemingly innocuous drug, prescribed for morning sickness, led to an unimaginable tragedy: thousands of babies born with severe birth defects. The catastrophe seared into our collective consciousness the devastating consequences of inadequate d…