Biology Forums - Study Force

During the rise of patent medicines in America in the 1800s, there were few attempts to regulate drugs. Which statements accurately depict this situation?
 
  1. Patent medicines contained a brand name that clearly identified the product.
  2. Patent medicines claimed to cure just about any disease or condition.
  3. Patent medicines were often harmless and ineffective.
  4. Many patent medicines contained addictive substances.
  5. Patent medicines could not make false therapeutic claims.

Correct Answer: 1,2,3,4
Rationale 1: Patent medicine did contain the brand name clearly identifying the product.
Rationale 2: Patent medicine claimed to cure everything from consumption to all forms of weakness.
Rationale 3: Many patent medicines contained coloring and flavoring and were both harmless and ineffective.
Rationale 4: Some elixirs contained up to 50 morphine. In the late 1800s, Coca-Cola contained about 9 mg of cocaine per serving.
Rationale 5: It was not until the Sherley Amendment was passed in 1912 that false therapeutic claims were prohibited.
Global Rationale: The statements that accurately depict the situation regarding patent medicines in the 1800s include that patent medicine did contain the brand name clearly identifying the product; patent medicine claimed to cure everything from consumption to all forms of weakness; many patent medicines contained coloring and flavoring and were both harmless and ineffective; and some elixirs contained up to 50 morphine. In the late 1800s, Coca-Cola contained about 9 mg of cocaine per serving. It was not until the Sherley Amendment was passed in 1912 that false therapeutic claims were prohibited.