CDC study: no evidence for teratogenicity of Bendectin

The results of a survey done at the federal Center for Disease Control (CDC), Atlanta, do not support recent allegations that Bendectin (Merrell-National Laboratories), a drug commonly used by pregnant women to combat vomiting and nausea, causes birth defects of the heart and limbs,JAMAMEDICAL NEWS has learned. This possibility has been of serious concern, due to the widespread use of Bendectin during pregnancy. Almost 3 million new prescriptions for this agent were written in 1978, according to Franz Rosa, MD, of the Food and Drug Administration—approximately one for each pregnant woman. About 40% of these prescriptions were filled. The medication combines the antihistamine doxylamine succinate and the vitamin pyridoxine hydrochloride. In the CDC's study, Jose Cordero, MD, MPH, examined the center's data file on drug use during pregnancy by 1,183 women who gave birth to infants with birth defects. Use of Bendectin was reported by 9.9% of the