The U.S. Food and Drug Administration’s (FDA) “History Vault” contains more than 10,000 artifacts that provide a journey through U.S. history and document the critical role played by one of the nation’s oldest public health agencies during its mission to promote and protect American health.

These items, which are featured in a new series of short videos, reflect the constant changes in science and society. It is the responsibility of the FDA’s history office to document and share these changes through the collection, management, and display of these rare, and in many cases, irreplaceable items.

Besides collecting and maintaining these articles, the office embraces the broader role of history: to inform, explain, and educate, so that future decisions are made with the best available knowledge and science.

The collection includes deceptive and dangerous foods, medicines, and so-called medical products that the FDA helped remove from commerce, and that led to important changes in laws and regulations.

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