How a famous horse led to modern drug regulation

Obtaining diphtheria serum. History of Medicine via Flickr.

By Beth Roberts

The US Food and Drug Administration is one of the world’s most reputable medicine regulation authorities, but its strange origin lies with a tragedy in 1901 involving a horse called Jim.

Ensuring the safety of medicines, biological products and medical devices is a vital part of public health. While the FDA is a trusted regulatory body today - and set to become even more influential in the UK’s drug approval process – its surprising and tragic origin at the turn of the 20th Century demonstrates exactly why such regulation is needed.