Here is GROK's response when I asked about DMSO being big in early '80s and then seemingly disappearing:
DMSO (dimethyl sulfoxide) exploded into public attention in the early 1980s largely because of a perfect storm of media hype, celebrity endorsements, and a high-profile FDA crackdown. Here’s what happened, step by step, and why it vanished from the headlines almost as quickly as it appeared.1. The Spark: 60 Minutes and the “Miracle Drug” Narrative (1980)On March 23, 1980, CBS’s 60 Minutes aired a segment titled “The Riddle of DMSO,” featuring patients who swore the compound cured their arthritis pain, sprains, and even neurological conditions almost instantly when rubbed on the skin.
The show included dramatic testimonials (e.g., a woman who regained use of her hand after a stroke) and interviews with doctors who claimed DMSO was being suppressed by a conspiracy between the FDA and Big Pharma.
Viewers flooded Congress with letters—over a million in the following months—demanding DMSO be made available.
The Science (and the Hype)DMSO had been studied since the 1960s for its ability to penetrate skin and carry other drugs with it, plus its anti-inflammatory and analgesic effects.
By 1980, it was FDA-approved only for one rare condition: interstitial cystitis (bladder instillation). Everything else—arthritis, sports injuries, stroke recovery—was off-label or experimental.
Early animal studies showed promise, but high-dose toxicity studies in the 1960s (especially lens changes in dogs) had spooked the FDA and halted human trials.
The Backlash: FDA Raids and Criminal Charges (1981–1983)As clinics began selling DMSO openly (some mixing it with unapproved drugs), the FDA cracked down.
In 1981, FDA agents raided clinics in Georgia, Texas, and Oregon, seizing DMSO and arresting practitioners for “unapproved drug distribution.”
The most publicized case: Dr. Stanley Jacob (the “father of DMSO”) was investigated, though never charged. His clinic at Oregon Health Sciences University became a lightning rod.
A 1982 New York Times headline read: “F.D.A. Seizes ‘Miracle’ Drug in Raids on 5 Clinics.”
The Nail in the Coffin: The 1983 Congressional HearingsCongress held hearings in 1980 and again in 1983 to investigate FDA “suppression.”
But the scientific testimony was damning: No large, controlled human trials supported the miracle claims.
Toxicity concerns (especially eye damage) hadn’t been fully resolved.
Many “success stories” were anecdotal or involved DMSO mixed with steroids (the real active ingredient).
The hearings ended with no mandate to approve DMSO for broader uses.
The Quiet Fade (Mid-1980s Onward)By 1984, the media lost interest. No new approvals, no new scandals.
DMSO became a “health food store” staple—sold as a solvent (99.9% pure) with a wink: “Not for human use.” People still bought it to rub on sore joints, but it was no longer front-page news.
The FDA allowed topical DMSO for arthritis in veterinary medicine (e.g., horses), which fueled the black-market human supply.
Where It Stands TodayStill only FDA-approved for interstitial cystitis (as Rimso-50).
Available over-the-counter as a solvent, but any medical claim triggers FDA action.
Research continues (e.g., as a drug carrier or for scleroderma), but it’s niche.
TL;DR:DMSO was a media sensation in 1980–81 because of 60 Minutes and patient lobbying. The FDA’s aggressive raids and the lack of rigorous clinical trials killed the hype by 1983. It didn’t disappear—it just retreated to the gray market, where it’s stayed ever since.
Since FDA was instrumental in "killing it", you have to wonder if big Pharma was behind the curtain.
Here is GROK's response when I asked about DMSO being big in early '80s and then seemingly disappearing:
DMSO (dimethyl sulfoxide) exploded into public attention in the early 1980s largely because of a perfect storm of media hype, celebrity endorsements, and a high-profile FDA crackdown. Here’s what happened, step by step, and why it vanished from the headlines almost as quickly as it appeared.1. The Spark: 60 Minutes and the “Miracle Drug” Narrative (1980)On March 23, 1980, CBS’s 60 Minutes aired a segment titled “The Riddle of DMSO,” featuring patients who swore the compound cured their arthritis pain, sprains, and even neurological conditions almost instantly when rubbed on the skin. The show included dramatic testimonials (e.g., a woman who regained use of her hand after a stroke) and interviews with doctors who claimed DMSO was being suppressed by a conspiracy between the FDA and Big Pharma. Viewers flooded Congress with letters—over a million in the following months—demanding DMSO be made available.
The Science (and the Hype)DMSO had been studied since the 1960s for its ability to penetrate skin and carry other drugs with it, plus its anti-inflammatory and analgesic effects. By 1980, it was FDA-approved only for one rare condition: interstitial cystitis (bladder instillation). Everything else—arthritis, sports injuries, stroke recovery—was off-label or experimental. Early animal studies showed promise, but high-dose toxicity studies in the 1960s (especially lens changes in dogs) had spooked the FDA and halted human trials.
The Backlash: FDA Raids and Criminal Charges (1981–1983)As clinics began selling DMSO openly (some mixing it with unapproved drugs), the FDA cracked down. In 1981, FDA agents raided clinics in Georgia, Texas, and Oregon, seizing DMSO and arresting practitioners for “unapproved drug distribution.” The most publicized case: Dr. Stanley Jacob (the “father of DMSO”) was investigated, though never charged. His clinic at Oregon Health Sciences University became a lightning rod. A 1982 New York Times headline read: “F.D.A. Seizes ‘Miracle’ Drug in Raids on 5 Clinics.”
The Nail in the Coffin: The 1983 Congressional HearingsCongress held hearings in 1980 and again in 1983 to investigate FDA “suppression.” But the scientific testimony was damning: No large, controlled human trials supported the miracle claims. Toxicity concerns (especially eye damage) hadn’t been fully resolved. Many “success stories” were anecdotal or involved DMSO mixed with steroids (the real active ingredient).
The hearings ended with no mandate to approve DMSO for broader uses.
The Quiet Fade (Mid-1980s Onward)By 1984, the media lost interest. No new approvals, no new scandals. DMSO became a “health food store” staple—sold as a solvent (99.9% pure) with a wink: “Not for human use.” People still bought it to rub on sore joints, but it was no longer front-page news. The FDA allowed topical DMSO for arthritis in veterinary medicine (e.g., horses), which fueled the black-market human supply.
Where It Stands TodayStill only FDA-approved for interstitial cystitis (as Rimso-50). Available over-the-counter as a solvent, but any medical claim triggers FDA action. Research continues (e.g., as a drug carrier or for scleroderma), but it’s niche.
TL;DR:DMSO was a media sensation in 1980–81 because of 60 Minutes and patient lobbying. The FDA’s aggressive raids and the lack of rigorous clinical trials killed the hype by 1983. It didn’t disappear—it just retreated to the gray market, where it’s stayed ever since.
Since FDA was instrumental in "killing it", you have to wonder if big Pharma was behind the curtain.