The Pill

The birth control pill has been described as the most powerful, most widely used drug ever developed in history. Conceived as a solution to the population explosion, it was a touchstone for the sexual liberation of the '60s. But to what extent was medical science willing to risk lives? Released without adequate testing, the high-dose Pill caused serious side effects and, in some cases, death. When the US government convened hearings to review the drug's safety, the new women's health movement claimed its first major victory - patient package inserts warning about the drug's side effects. This fascinating documentary offers a look at the hidden history of the oral contraceptive that changed the world and features interviews with Gloria Steinem and author Barbara Seaman, who wrote The Doctor's Case Against the Pill in 1969.