Contergan

As of 1957 in Germany, Contergan was sold as a sleep-inducing and sedative drug and also prescribed for pregnant women to alleviate morning sickness. Its active ingredient, thalidomide, caused severe deformities of the extremities of unborn children in the womb. Contergan was not taken off the market until the end of 1961. Around 5,000 children in Germany were born with thalidomide-induced birth defects.