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Sara Armstrong Mahler miscellany

Creation: 1967 Creation: 2001
 Collection
Accession: 2318

Abstract

Sara Armstrong Mahler (1930-2004) was a pediatric doctor and an executive in the Clinical Division at the DuPont Pharmaceutical Company from 1964 to 2001, where she was involved in both the domestic and foreign development and approval of drugs and radiopharmaceutical imaging products. Mahler invented Symmetrel, an antiviral therapy initially used to treat influenza until widespread drug resistance developed; however, it is still an effective treatment for Parkinson's Disease. This small collection consists of two items related to her time at the DuPont Pharmaceutical Company and her invention of Symmetrel. There is one newspaper clipping and one prescription, the first prescription issued for Symmetrel in 1967.

Dates

  • Creation: 1967
  • Creation: 2001

Extent

2 item(s)

Biographical Note

Sara Armstrong Mahler (1930-2004) was a pediatric doctor and an executive in the Clinical Division at the DuPont Pharmaceutical Company from 1964 to 2001, where she was involved in both the domestic and foreign development and approval of drugs and radiopharmaceutical imaging products. Mahler invented Symmetrel, an antiviral therapy initially used to treat influenza until widespread drug resistance developed; however, it is still an effective treatment for Parkinson's Disease.

Mahler graduated summa cum laude from Woman's College, the University of North Carolina in 1953 with degrees in chemistry and biology, and received a master's degree in physiology and Doctor of Medicine degree from Duke University Medical School.

She held several positions in pediatrics at the Duke University Medical Center, Mayo Clinic, and Mayo Foundation. In 1964, Mahler joined the Clinical Division of the DuPont Pharmaceutical Company and remained with the company until it was sold to Bristol-Myers Squibb Company in October 2001. After the sale, she remained as a consultant to Bristol-Myers Squibb until December 2002.

Scope and Contents

This small collection consists of two items related to Mahler's time at the DuPont Company. The first is a newspaper clipping from the News Journal from 2001 with a bullet-point overview of a timeline of "The History of DuPont's Drug Unit" from 1966 to 2001, beginning with the Federal Drug Administration's approval of Symmetrel for the treatment of influenza. The second is a prescription from 1967 written to a student at the University of Delaware by Herbert L. Walter, M.D., the associate university physician, for Symmetrel. It was the first prescription written for Symmetrel, later given to Mahler.

Access Restrictions

This collection is open for research.

Language of Materials

English

Finding Aid & Administrative Information

Title:
Sara Armstrong Mahler miscellany
Author:
Laurie Sather
Date:
2021
Description rules:
Describing Archives: A Content Standard
Language of description:
English
Script of description:
Latin

Repository Details

Repository Details

Part of the Manuscripts and Archives Repository

Contact:
PO Box 3630
Wilmington Delaware 19807 USA
302-658-2400