The Food and Drug Administration is 100 years young this year. As part of the celebration, the agency is pushing a "centennial anthem" written by one of its own that is the musical equivalent of Thalidomide. Partial lyrics:

We honor those who carried on before

O'er these hundred years, public safety to secure

For food, vaccines, drugs, devices, blood and more

They strove to see these goods effective, safe, and pure.

In field and lab, in workplace far and near

From both civilian and commissioned corps

A call goes forth in this centennial year

That this rich heritage continue evermore.

Full lyrics here.

Bloomberg News reports the composer, an FDA lifer with 35 years in at the agency, wrote the tune in his Maryland basement, "sometimes staying up until midnight after a full day of work." Now you too can suffer for his art, especially by catching this incredible video of a June 30 performance of the song at FDA HQ.

Hat tip: Reason's Hit & Run.