Tag: Miltown

First approved in 1955, meprobamate became one of the earliest blockbuster psychiatric drugs in the U.S., popularly known as Miltown [1.5.3, 1.5.4]. This article explores the primary question: **what is meprobamate used to treat** and examines its history, function, and modern relevance.

By 1965, the anxiolytic meprobamate, famously marketed as Miltown, had been prescribed over 500 million times and was considered a “blockbuster” drug. However, the reasons behind its fall from grace and subsequent discontinuation reveal a crucial evolution in pharmacology and safety standards, ultimately answering the question: **Why was Miltown discontinued?**

Introduced in 1955, meprobamate became a popular anxiety treatment, but today its brand names are discontinued, raising the question: **is meprobamate still prescribed in the US?**. While generic versions are available, its clinical use is now exceedingly rare due to significant safety concerns and the availability of safer alternatives.

The Rolling Stones' 1966 hit song, "Mother's Little Helper," brought widespread public attention to the phenomenon of suburban housewives relying on tranquilizers to cope with daily life. This song cemented the nickname "Mommy's Little Helper," but the reality is that the term referred to more than one popular prescription drug during the era.

By 1956, only one year after its release, doctors had written 36 million prescriptions for the tranquilizer Miltown, a drug commonly associated with 1950s housewives coping with anxiety. Often nicknamed “Mother's Little Helper,” this and other prescription pills reveal the intense societal pressures and expectations placed on women during that era.

In 1966, the Rolling Stones' song "Mother's Little Helper" brought public attention to the use of tranquilizers by women, revealing that the serene image of the 1950s housewife was often maintained with pharmacological assistance. The song underscored a complex social and medical history, exploring what drugs did housewives used to take to cope with the pressures of domestic life.