Wonder Drug

Praise

“Wonder Drug is both a first-rate medical thriller and the searing account of a forgotten American tragedy. Drawing on six years of groundbreaking research and guided by a keen eye for the indelible detail and an unwavering moral conviction, Jennifer Vanderbes has produced a shocking saga of pharmaceutical malpractice.”—Patrick Radden Keefe, New York Times bestselling author of Empire of Pain

“Wonder Drug is a tale of scientific detective work, corporate corruption on a grand scale, and human resilience in the face of repudiation and tragedy. This is narrative nonfiction at its most compelling.”—Margot Lee Shetterly, #1 New York Times bestselling author of Hidden Figures

“A devastating and hard-to-put-down exposé of the thalidomide tragedy . . . Meticulously researched and emotionally powerful, Vanderbes’s book uncovers layers of corporate negligence, government in action, greed, and deception, shedding light on the terrible consequences. Wonder Drug is not only a page-turner but also a much-needed call for accountability and justice—an essential addition to ourunderstanding of medical history.”—Meghan O’Rourke, New York Times bestselling author of The Invisible Kingdom

“Jennifer Vanderbes’s Wonder Drug is an utterly engrossing, thrilling, and horrifying look at both a shocking episode in the history of Big Pharma and the intersection of medicine, profit, and government bureaucracy. Vanderbes brings a novelist’s skill to the extensive archival work she’s done, creating a stunning, immersive account of a medical scandal.”—Phil Klay, National Book Award–winning author of Redeployment
 
“Vanderbes’s thorough investigative work and her lucid prose bring to life a little-known American tragedy. Wonder Drug is a compelling read and reminds us why regulatory scrutiny of new drugs matters.”—Abraham Verghese, New York Times bestselling author of Cutting for Stone

“A powerful and deeply reported book . . . Vanderbes’s dogged investigation has finally exposed the true scale of this public health catastrophe, giving us an important story that honors unsung victims and heroes while blowing the lid off decades of cover-up.”—Charles Graeber, New York Times bestselling author of The Good Nurse

“A deeply researched and chilling must-read. Journalist and novelist Vanderbes profiles one of the most notorious drugs in history: thalidomide.”—Publishers Weekly, starred review
 
“This is a medical must read. Show, don’t tell journalism at its best. [Vanderbes] mines archives and interviews 283 victims, scientists, lawyers, doctors, and journalists to figure out how the premature distribution of a horrifyingly understudied drug led to tens of thousands of babies born with “flipper-like ‘seal limbs.’” The short answer: Blame corporate greed, shoddy research, and regulatory failures.”—Booklist, starred review

“Riveting. Suspenseful. A significant work about a horrifying example of widespread pharmaceutical negligence.”—Kirkus Reviews, starred review