The Birth Control Pill Celebrates Forty Years of Fame

-- Ortho-McNeil Donates Historic Contraceptive Items to the Smithsonian

RARITAN, N.J., May 8 /PRNewswire/ -- Issue: May 8, 2000

It is credited as one of the most significant advancements for the women's movement and in medicine, and few pharmaceutical products share its level of fame. Thousands of prescription pills are available, yet only one is known universally as "The Pill." This year, the birth control pill celebrates 40 years of contraceptive choice and protection.

To commemorate this 40th anniversary, Ortho-McNeil Pharmaceutical presented the Smithsonian Institution National Museum of American History with a donation of historic contraceptive items, including an original ORTHO DIALPAK(R) Tablet Dispenser and advertising materials. The donation was accepted into the Science, Medicine and Society collection.

"The introduction of the birth control pill is one of the most socially significant advancements in medicine. It has had an incredible impact on society, women and the medical profession," said Patricia Gossel, chair and curator, Division of Science, Medicine and Society, Smithsonian's National Museum of American History. "It's interesting to see how the evolution of the Pill's packaging has reflected societal norms and created a cultural icon."

After its approval by the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) on May 9, 1960, the birth control pill steadily gained popularity. By 1962, 1.2 million American women were taking the Pill, a combination of estrogen and progestin working in concert to prevent ovulation. An estimated 468 million American women have taken the Pill since its introduction. Today, more than 16 million American women choose the birth control pill as their preferred form of contraception.

During the 40-year history of the Pill, Ortho-McNeil Pharmaceutical has played a significant role in its evolution. The company introduced the first low-dose pill, the first progestin-only pill for breast feeding women and those unable to tolerate estrogen, the first bi-phasic and tri-phasic birth control pills that mimic the body's hormonal rhythm and the first and only birth control pill clinically proven to treat moderate acne.

"The fact that the Pill has been the most popular form of reversible birth control for 35 years is a testament to its safety and efficacy," said Raquel Arias, M.D., assistant head of Gynecology at Women's and Children's Hospital in Los Angeles, California and associate professor of Clinical Obstetrics and Gynecology at University of Southern California (USC) School of Medicine. "Today, women can rely on the Pill for more than just contraception."

The Pill is one of the most widely researched prescription drugs and has been the subject of more than 73,000 publications and scientific reviews. Research led to findings that, in addition to its 99 percent effectiveness rate*, the Pill provides non-contraceptive health benefits -- more regular menstrual cycles, reduced cramping, and reduced incidence of benign breast cysts, endometrial and ovarian cancer and iron-deficiency anemia.

In 1996, ORTHO TRI-CYCLEN(R) (norgestimate/ethinyl estradiol) Tablets received approval from the FDA as a treatment for moderate acne in adult women seeking contraception. This marks the first and only time a birth control pill has received a non-contraceptive indication. The company's latest innovation, ORTHO PERSONAL PAK(TM), is a pharmaceutical industry first that offers choice and style for birth control pill packaging.

History reveals that before the development of the Pill, women tried a variety of "nature's elixirs" as contraceptive methods. They drank mercury, swallowed carrot seeds, ingested diluted copper ore, or drank a brew of beaver testicles soaked in alcohol. In the late 1930s, researchers discovered how estrogen and progesterone work in the body to suppress ovulation. In 1956, Dr. Gregory Goodwin Pincus created the first Pill with government funding and help from birth control advocates Margaret Sanger and Katherine McCormick. It wasn't until four years later, however, that the FDA gave the Pill its stamp of approval for use as a method of birth control. The first Pills contained high levels of hormones, but subsequent research found that lower hormone levels could still achieve contraception while reducing the risks associated with earlier forms of the Pill. Today's Pills have as little as one-tenth the amount of progestogen and one-twentieth the amount of estrogen of the earliest formulation.

ORTHO TRI-CYCLEN is indicated for the prevention of pregnancy and for the treatment of moderate acne vulgaris in females 15 years of age or older, who have no known contraindications to oral contraceptive therapy, desire contraception, have achieved menstruation and are unresponsive to topical anti-acne medications.

Oral contraceptives are not for everybody. Most side effects of the Pill are not serious. And those that are, occur infrequently. Serious risks, which can be life threatening, include blood clots, stroke, and heart attacks, and are increased if you smoke cigarettes. Cigarette smoking increases the risk of serious cardiovascular side effects, especially if you're over 35. Women who use oral contraceptives are strongly advised not to smoke. Some studies have reported an increase in the risk of developing breast cancer among women who use oral contraceptives. However, the majority of studies have found no overall increase in this risk. You should talk to your doctor or health care professional about how this risk relates to your use of the Pill. Some women should not use the Pill, including women who have blood clots, certain cancers, a history of heart attack or stroke, as well as those who are or may be pregnant. The Pill does not protect against HIV or other sexually transmitted diseases.

For nearly 70 years, Ortho-McNeil Pharmaceutical has been a leader in contraception and a pioneer in women's health. Among its accomplishments are the introductions of the first prescription contraceptive for women in 1931, the Pap smear, the first treatment for vaginal yeast infections and the first constant estrogen, intermittent, low-dose progestin hormone replacement therapy. The company also introduced the first low-dose oral contraceptive, the first progestin-only birth control pill and the only birth control pill in the U.S. with a non-contraceptive indication. It led these developments and improvements in oral contraception by listening to healthcare professionals and women. Today, the company markets nine brands of oral contraceptives.

Ortho-McNeil offers the broadest range of prescriptive contraceptive options. Ortho-McNeil also manufactures and markets pharmaceutical products in other therapeutic categories, including central nervous system, wound healing and infectious disease.

*The birth control pill is more than 99 percent effective, when taken correctly.

More Articles