item details
NameVolidan 21 contraceptive pill
ProductionThe British Drug Houses Ltd.; manufacturer(s); 1970s; United Kingdom
Classificationoral contraceptives, personalia
Materialscardboard, foil, plastic, hormone
DimensionsOverall: 55mm (width), 150mm (length), 2mm (depth)
Registration NumberGH022517
Credit lineGift of Dame Margaret Sparrow, 2011
Overview
The contraceptive pill sometimes compromised women’s health. Early high-oestrogen pills could cause side-effects that were unpleasant or even dangerous, including blood clots, strokes, and heart attacks.
Volidan had to be withdrawn in the 1970s because of cancer scares. Through research, safer pills were introduced.