"The Persecuted Drug: The Story of DMSO" by Pat McGrady Sr. touches on DMSO (dimethyl sulfoxide), a simple sulfur-based compound first synthesized in 1866 by Russian chemist Alexander Zaytsev. It remained a scientific curiosity until the mid-20th century, when researchers discovered its remarkable properties—rapid skin penetration, therapeutic potential, and the ability to carry other substances into the body. In the 1960s, Dr. Stanley Jacob and chemist Robert Herschler explored its medical applications, finding it effective for pain relief, inflammation, and wound healing. However, the FDA, under Commissioner James Goddard, launched a crackdown in 1965, citing safety concerns (including disputed claims of eye damage in animals), raiding labs, and restricting human use despite widespread patient advocacy and international scientific support. Though global research continued to highlight DMSO’s benefits, FDA obstruction created a regulatory stalemate, leaving it largely sidelined in the U.S. The controversy underscores tensions between medical innovation and government oversight, with lasting implications for drug approval processes. Today, DMSO remains a polarizing yet promising substance, its legacy shaped by both its therapeutic potential and bureaucratic conflict.

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