The sales for Thalidomide grew constantly throughout 1959. According to the internal medical and scientific department at Grünenthal, 1959 was the “decisive boost” year for Thalidomide.

The advertisement on Thalidomide containing products still focused on the non-toxicity, safeness, zero side-effects and good tolerability. Since March 1958 Grünenthal ceased using the phrase “absolute non-toxic” for ads in Germany (see above), but maintained the phrase “absolute non-toxic” in ads abroad.

Critical voices were rising as well. More and more doctors and pharmacists communicated with Grünenthal to alert them about the following health problems that they believed were connected to Thalidomide: Constipation, (partly extreme) feeling of dizziness, headaches, memory loss, heart sensation, disturbance of memory, low blood pressure, and other paradox phenomena.

Many doctors and pharmacists made it clear that those health problems had nothing to do with an over dosage or with an extreme long consumption.

Source: Anklageschrift (indictment) from 1967, today archived at the National Archives of North Rhine-Westphalia in Duisburg, Germany (Rheinland Division, Gerichte Rep. 139, No. 1–396), pp. 67ff.