I pledge to prescribe ethically

Throughout its existence, the US Food and Drug Administration has had to cope with various unexpected side effects of medications. Some of the most serious and detrimental to society involve irreparable harm to unborn fetuses. The use of thalidomide, and later isotretinoin, led to the implementation of a series of pregnancy prevention programs. The goal of these programs is to prevent fetal exposure to these medications. In 2002 the System to Manage Accutane Related Teratogenicity (SMART) program requiring physician education, informed consent, rigorous pregnancy testing, and restrictive dispensing policies was put in place.