Object Details
- 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.
- The Syntex Corporation of Humacoa, Puerto Rico, manufactured this Norinyl 1/35 brand oral contraceptive around 1984. The blister pack is contained inside their trademarked Memorette dispenser. The 28 pill monthly dosage is arranged in four weekly rows of 7 pills, numbered from 1–28. The dispenser is packaged in a pink paper container. This physician’s sample came with a booklet entitled “What you should know about oral contraceptives” and an insert containing user information.
- Location
- Currently not on view
- Data Source
- National Museum of American History
- maker
- Syntex F.P. Inc.
- date made
- 1980-1984
- Credit Line
- Syntex Corporation, Syntex Corporate Archives
- Physical Description
- paper (container material)
- plastic (container material)
- norethindrone, 1 mg (drug active ingredients)
- ethinyl estradiol, 0.035 mg (drug active ingredients)
- Measurements
- overall: 13 cm x 11 cm x 2.5 cm; 5 1/8 in x 4 5/16 in x in
- overall: 1 in x 5 1/2 in x 4 1/2 in; 2.54 cm x 13.97 cm x 11.43 cm
- Object Name
- contraceptive, oral
