The song "Prescribing Horror" by Exodus addresses the tragic and devastating consequences of the drug Thalidomide. Thalidomide was prescribed to pregnant women in the 1950s and 1960s as a treatment for morning sickness and other ailments but caused severe birth defects in thousands of babies. The lyrics describe the babies born with deformities and mutations as the "discarded, deformed babies of the chemical age." They are referred to as "babies of the chemical age" because their conditions were caused by the drugs taken by their mothers. The song highlights the greed and negligence of the pharmaceutical industry, as the drug was approved and marketed without proper testing and caused immense suffering for the affected children and their families. The line "Cursed by a drug they'd taken" emphasizes the injustice and tragedy of the situation. The chorus mentions that these children were condemned to a life of suffering and silence, trapped in a "Hell of Thalidomide." The line "All in the name of science" suggests that the pursuit of scientific progress was prioritized over the well-being of the patients. The lyrics also criticize medical professionals, particularly midwives, who were involved in terminating the lives of affected infants or withholding adequate care. The line "Midwives were taking lives so the child it would not languish" implies that some medical practitioners saw termination as a more merciful option than allowing these children to live with their disabilities. The song goes on to discuss how Thalidomide was first created as an antidote for Sarin gas and its connection to the horrors of World War II. The line "Created in camps of death, what price a pound of flesh?" suggests that the drug's origins are tied to unethical experiments and the disregard for human lives during wartime. The lyrics emphasize the financial motivations behind the distribution of Thalidomide, with the line "They made money hand over fist by selling this toxic waste." This further highlights the greed and lack of regard for human well-being exhibited by the pharmaceutical companies involved. Overall, "Prescribing Horror" sheds light on the tragic consequences of the Thalidomide disaster, condemns the greed and negligence of the pharmaceutical industry, and expresses sympathy for the victims and their families.
