WASHINGTON (AP) — A treatment pulled off the market 30 years ago has won Food and Drug Administration approval as the only drug specifically designated to treat morning sickness.
That long-ago safety scare proved to be a big false alarm.
Monday's decision means a new version of the pill once named Bendectin will return to U.S. pharmacies — this time called Diclegis (dye-KLEE'-gihs).
U.S. doctors have had no officially approved treatment for morning sickness since lawsuits forced Bendectin off the market in 1983. But the drug's main ingredients are vitamin B6 and an over-the-counter antihistamine, and obstetricians often advised pregnant women how to mix up the right dose themselves.
Diclegis is made by a Canadian company that has long sold the medication in that country, and plans to begin U.S. sales in June.