Brevinor Oral Contraceptive

Description (Brief):

The popularity of “the Pill” created a new market for pharmaceutical companies. For the first time, healthy women would be taking medication for an extended period of time. Pill manufacturers developed unique packaging in order to distinguish their product from those of their competitors and build brand loyalty. Packaging design often incorporated a “memory aid” to assist women in tracking their daily pill regimen, as well as styled cases to allow pills to be discreetly carried in bags and purses. The National Museum of American History’s Division of Medicine and Science’s collection of oral contraceptives illustrates some of the changes that the packaging and marketing of the Pill underwent from its inception in 1960 to the present.

Description (Brief)

The Syntex Pharmaceutical Company of Maidenhead, England, manufactured this Brevinor brand oral contraceptive during the late 20th century. The purple cardboard container features an image of a rose on the exterior. The folded container opens to reveal 21 blue tablets arranged in a racetrack pattern with the day of the week above each pill on the lower half. The upper half of the insert contains detailed instructions on how to take the Brevinor tablets. The packet also includes information about Brevinor in a paneled comic-style fold-out page.

Date Made: ca 1980

Maker: Syntex Pharmaceuticals Ltd.

Location: Currently not on view

Place Made: United Kingdom: England, Maidenhead

Subject: Birth Control/ContraceptionWomen's Health

Subject:

See more items in: Medicine and Science: Medicine, Health & Medicine, Birth Control

Exhibition:

Exhibition Location:

Credit Line: Syntex Corporation, Syntex Corporate Archives

Data Source: National Museum of American History

Id Number: 1990.3201.03Catalog Number: 1990.3201.03Nonaccession Number: 1990.3201

Object Name: contraceptive, oral

Physical Description: paper (container material)plastic (container material)norethisterone B.P., 0.5 mg. (drug active ingredients)ethinyloestradiol B.P., 0.035 mg. (drug active ingredients)Measurements: overall: 15 cm x 6.3 cm x 5 cm; 5 7/8 in x 2 1/2 in x 1 15/16 inoverall: 3/8 in x 6 in x 2 5/8 in; .9525 cm x 15.24 cm x 6.6675 cm

Guid: http://n2t.net/ark:/65665/ng49ca746a1-318d-704b-e053-15f76fa0b4fa

Record Id: nmah_333808

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