Because of what would now be called bureaucratic inertia and government interference, she literally saved the lives and health of thousands of US children.
The rest of the advanced world, including her native Canada, allowed Merrell's drug thalidomide to be prescribed as a tranquilizer and painkiller with specific indications to prescribe the drug to pregnant women for morning sickness.
She had only recently joined the FDA, and "was one of only seven full-time and four young part-time physicians reviewing drugs".
Thalidomide had been on the market in other countries for almost three years, so there was intense pressure from the drug company to approve.
Despite this, she performed her job, requiring more information on that drug because of reported adverse external studies (in particular an English study that documented a nervous system side effects) before approval.
By 'preventing US citizens from having the benefits of new medical technology', the United States was largely spared the at least 10,000 cases of phocomelia (malformation of the limbs) in new borns, with a mortality of 50%.
Perhaps she should be on the $10 bill*.
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*Personal Rant: Hamilton, who created the US finance system, should stay on our money. The more problematic (though populist) Jackson should go.
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