Carton of Retrovir, AZT, England, 1992-1993

Made:
1992-1993 in London
maker:
The Wellcome Foundation Limited
Carton of Retrovir (zidovudine, AZT), comprising 40 capsules Carton of Retrovir (zidovudine, AZT), comprising 40 capsules Carton of Retrovir (zidovudine, AZT), comprising 40 capsules Carton of Retrovir (zidovudine, AZT), comprising 40 capsules Carton of Retrovir (zidovudine, AZT), comprising 40 capsules Carton of Retrovir (zidovudine, AZT), comprising 40 capsules

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Creative Commons LicenseThis image is released under a CC BY-NC-SA 4.0 Licence

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License this image for commercial use at Science and Society Picture Library

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Creative Commons LicenseThis image is released under a CC BY-NC-SA 4.0 Licence

Buy this image as a print 

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License this image for commercial use at Science and Society Picture Library

License

Creative Commons LicenseThis image is released under a CC BY-NC-SA 4.0 Licence

Buy this image as a print 

Buy

License this image for commercial use at Science and Society Picture Library

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Creative Commons LicenseThis image is released under a CC BY-NC-SA 4.0 Licence

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Carton of Retrovir (zidovudine, AZT), comprising 40 capsules
Science Museum Group Collection
© The Board of Trustees of the Science Museum

Carton of Retrovir (zidovudine, AZT), comprising 40 capsules
Science Museum Group Collection
© The Board of Trustees of the Science Museum

Carton of Retrovir (zidovudine, AZT), comprising 40 capsules
Science Museum Group Collection
© The Board of Trustees of the Science Museum

Carton of Retrovir (zidovudine, AZT), comprising 40 capsules
Science Museum Group Collection
© The Board of Trustees of the Science Museum

Carton of Retrovir (zidovudine, AZT), comprising 40 capsules
Science Museum Group Collection
© The Board of Trustees of the Science Museum

Carton of Retrovir (zidovudine, AZT), comprising 40 capsules
Science Museum Group Collection
© The Board of Trustees of the Science Museum

Carton of Retrovir (zidovudine, AZT), comprising 40 capsules, 250mg, in foil push-out sheets, from The Wellcome Foundation Ltd, London, England, 1992-3

How can doctors and pharmaceutical companies balance the need of patients for new treatments with the risks from unproven new medicines? In the case of thalidomide, the price paid for poor drug testing was very high. But can the opposite also be true? Could the clear benefits of a drug outweigh any potential for harm? You might wonder what is so special about the little blue box of pills pictured here. “Retrovir” is a brand name for AZT (azidothymidine) – the first drug that prolonged the lives of those with AIDS.

In 1986, when the drug was tested in America against a placebo, its benefits effects were quickly apparent. But if you were a participant in such a trial, clearly receiving an ineffective placebo while others were getting visibly better, would you put up with it? No, neither did the patients. Activist groups protested against any delays in approving this drug that was clearly working. This was the first time that patients had such a strong impact. Retrovir was also a very expensive product, but further protests succeeded in lowering of the cost so that more patients could benefit. ‘Buyers’ clubs’ were even organised to allow poorer patients access to the life-saving drugs.

AZT remained the only drug available for some time, and activists blamed its manufacturer for lobbying against approval of other competing drugs. Once more, their protests accelerated the approval of supplementary drugs that helped patients survive for longer. So you see this small blue box not only represents the first ray of hope for people with AIDS. It also marks a turning point, when desperate patients stood up against pharmaceutical companies and demanded a say in the drug development process.

Details

Category:
Materia Medica & Pharmacology
Object Number:
1994-356/1
Materials:
cardboard, plastic (unidentified), metal (unknown) and aluminium alloy
Measurements:
box: 60 mm x 113 mm x 45 mm,
capsule packed: 6 mm x 105 mm x 55 mm,
type:
drug