NOTE TO CORRESPONDENTS Print Media: 301-827-6242 October 6, 2000 Consumer Inquiries: 888-INFO-FDA
FDA's Frances O. Kelsey, Ph.D., M.D., will be inducted into the National Women's Hall of Fame on October 7 in Seneca Falls, New York. Dr. Kelsey has long been honored for her role in blocking approval of the drug thalidomide in the l960's. Her refusal to approve thalidomide for use in the U.S. earned her national recognition and her work led to strengthened regulation of the pharmaceutical industry.
Dr. Kelsey, who was born in 1914, continues to work for FDA in the medical and scientific affairs staff in the agency's Center for Drug Evaluation and Research. She points out that thalidomide was the first drug application to which she was assigned after joining the agency in 1960.
That thalidomide was not marketed at that time in the United States was largely due to the work of Dr. Kelsey whose concerns about insufficient data in the thalidomide application kept the drug out of American pharmacies. As she raised questions, news of thalidomide-induced birth defects from European countries demonstrated dangers of its use during pregnancy. On August 7, l962, President John F. Kennedy awarded Kelsey the President's Award for Distinguished Federal Civilian Service. The engraving on her presidential award reads, "Her exceptional judgment in evaluating a new drug for safety for human use has prevented a major tragedy of birth deformities in the United States. Through high ability and steadfast confidence in her professional decision she has made an outstanding contribution to the protection of the health of the American people."
"I feel very honored," said Dr. Kelsey of her upcoming induction into the National Women's Hall of Fame. "I am pleased to be honored along with women that I admire, especially those that I personally have worked with in science and medicine."
Dr. Kelsey will join a group of 19 American women who will be inducted on Oct 7 as part of a two-day 2000 Honors Weekend celebration starting Friday, October 6. With the induction of these 19 women, the total number of hall inductees numbers 176 women.
For more information, see the web site for the National Women’s Hall of Fame, http://www.greatwomen.org.
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