7 Drugs that Changed the World (Only a small number of substances can be said to have fundamentally revolutionized medicine.)

aspirin pills

Aspirin pills.

An illustration of Canadian scientists Frederick G. Banting and Charles H. Best in...

Courtesy of the National Library of Medicine

Bayer aspirin

An early bottle of Bayer aspirin, sold in powdered form.

Bayer Corporation

diazepam

Diazepam (Valium) is a benzodiazepine drug that is commonly used to reduce symptoms...

U.S. Drug Enforcement Administration

Burkitt lymphoma

Burkitt lymphoma cells in a touch preparation, a type of cell-based diagnostic technique.

Ed Uthman, MD

A 28-day package of birth control pills.

Penicillium notatum, the source of penicillin.

Carlo Bevilacqua—SCALA/Art Resource, New York

7 Drugs that Changed the World: Media