Some drugs have been withdrawn from the market because of risks to the patients. Usually this has been prompted by unexpected adverse effects that were not detected during Phase III clinical trials and were only apparent from post-marketing surveillance data from the wider patient community.
Significant withdrawals
Drug name
Withdrawn
Remarks
thalidomide
1950s–1960s
Withdrawn due to risk of teratogenicity; returned to market for use in leprosy and multiple myeloma under FDA orphan drug rules