Editing 1987 in science (section)

==Medicine==
* March 20 – The United States [[Food and Drug Administration]] for the first time approves an [[antiretroviral drug]] for the treatment of [[HIV/AIDS]], [[zidovudine]], also known as AZT (azidothymidine) or Retrovir.<ref>{{cite news|last=Cimons|first=Marlene|title=U.S. Approves Sale of AZT to AIDS Patients|work=[[Los Angeles Times]]|page=1|date=21 March 1987}}</ref>
* May – The name ''[[chronic fatigue syndrome]]'' first appears in the medical literature.<ref>{{cite journal|last1=Buchwald|first1=Dedra|author-link=Dedra Buchwald|last2=Sullivan|first2=John L.|last3=Komaroff|first3=Anthony L.|date=May 1987|title=Frequency of 'Chronic Active Epstein-Barr Virus Infection' in a General Medical Practice|url=http://jama.ama-assn.org/cgi/reprint/257/17/2303|journal=[[Journal of the American Medical Association]]|volume=257|issue=17|pages=2303–7|doi=10.1001/jama.257.17.2303|pmid=3033338|accessdate=2011-07-29|url-access=subscription}}</ref>
* May 11 – The first [[heart-lung transplant]] takes place.
* August 31 – The FDA for the first time approves a [[statin]], [[lovastatin]].<ref>[http://www.accessdata.fda.gov/scripts/cder/ob/docs/obdetail.cfm?Appl_No=019643&TABLE1=OB_Rx FDA Orange Book Detail for application N019643]{{dead link|date=May 2025|bot=medic}}{{cbignore|bot=medic}} showing approval for 20 mg tablets on August 31, 1987, and 40 mg tablets on December 14, 1988</ref><ref>{{cite journal|first=Akira|last=Endo|title=The origin of the statins|journal=Atherosclerosis Supplements|date=October 2004|volume=5|issue=3|pages=125–30|pmid=15531285|doi=10.1016/j.atherosclerosissup.2004.08.033|issn=1567-5688}}</ref>
* September 5 - The first successful surgical separation of craniopagus twins is done by Dr. [[Ben Carson]].
* December 29 – [[Prozac]] makes its debut in the U.S.