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An important function of the FDA is to develop and implement standards for the safety and effectiveness of all over-the-counter drugs, United States Food and Drug Administration, 1982

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A black and white photograph of a white man reading a document while sitting at a desk with containers of varying size of over the counter medicines

An important function of the FDA is to develop and implement standards for the safety and effectiveness of all over-the-counter drugs, United States Food and Drug Administration, 1982

This photo from 1982 shows a Food and Drug Administration (FDA) employee sitting at his desk, next to an oversized bottle of aspirin and other over-the-counter medications. Although aspirin’s formulation has remained largely unchanged since being patented in 1899, scientists have learned more about the medication’s safety and potential over the years. In 1986, the FDA issued warnings against using aspirin to treat flu or chicken pox symptoms in individuals under the age of 19, for fear of contracting or exacerbating Reye syndrome, a condition that causes swelling in the brain and liver.

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