Archives Hub feature for February 2026

If you look on the information leaflet within a packet of aspirin today, you will see the statement “do not give to children aged under 16 years, unless on the advice of a doctor”. Behind this warning lies the story of Reye’s syndrome, and the important work of the National Reye’s Syndrome Foundation of the United Kingdom.

Reye’s syndrome was first named in Australia in 1963, as an often-fatal illness affecting the liver and brain which can appear in children after a viral infection such as flu or chickenpox. The exact cause of Reye’s syndrome remains unknown, but research in the US in the 1970s and 1980s reported a strong correlation between aspirin intake during viral illnesses and occurrence of Reye’s syndrome.

Despite cases of Reye’s syndrome peaking in the early 1980s, there was little information available to medical professionals or families encountering the illness in the UK. This was until the founding of the National Reye’s Syndrome Foundation of the United Kingdom (NRSF) in 1983 by parents Audrey and Clifford Harrington. 

The NRSF aimed to fund research into Reye’s syndrome and raise public awareness of the condition. This included research and campaigning which led to the introduction of aspirin warning labelling in the UK in 1986, resulting in a dramatic decline of Reye’s syndrome cases.

The NRSF maintained strong ties with the Royal College of Paediatrics and Child Health (RCPCH), particularly through the efforts of Gordon Denney who took over the administration of the Foundation in the mid-1980s. Gordon and his wife Gillian lost their own son Jonathan to Reye’s syndrome and worked tirelessly to raise public awareness of the condition.

In 2012, the Royal College of Paediatrics and Child Health assumed responsibility for the Foundation’s work and acknowledged the historical significance of the NRSF’s records, which not only document the organisation’s legacy, but also the history of Reye’s syndrome in the UK.

Gordon Denney not only donated the records of the NRSF to the College but also provided generous financial support to fund the work of a Project Archivist to catalogue the records making them accessible to researchers.

Between April and November 2025, the NRSF collection was catalogued, repackaged, and prepared for long-term preservation ensuring its accessibility for future researchers.

These photos show the transformation from shelves of mismatched boxes to a neatly organised and packaged collection.

The collection offers a rich and varied insight into the NRSF’s work. It includes documents detailing its founding, personal papers of the chair of NRSF’s Medical and Scientific Advisory Board, and a wide array of public-facing materials such as posters, leaflets, and campaign literature.

The collection also includes personal accounts and experiences of Reye’s syndrome from families and clinicians encountering the effects of the illness, as well as recollections of the personal connections to Reye’s syndrome of those involved in the Foundation.

The NRSF collection provides a unique perspective on how charities have influenced child health in the UK, collaborating with Colleges like the RCPCH to drive change. The collection also highlights the vital role of determined individuals, who devote their life to improving health outcomes for children and young people, often because of the loss of a child.

The story told by the NRSF collection demonstrates how determined individuals can drive change that lasts for generations. Whilst there have been no known cases of classic Reye’s syndrome since 2002 in the UK, the work of the NRSF continues to have an impact on child health.

Namely, research and campaigns funded by the NRSF were instrumental in the introduction of warning labelling on aspirin products, which made visible the link between aspirin and Reye’s syndrome in children. These warnings are still used on aspirin products today.

Another lasting contribution of the NRSF was the development of clinical guidelines for managing decreased consciousness in children. This guideline continues to be updated and remains in use in hospitals today.

Whilst Reye’s syndrome in its classic form seems unlikely to reappear, new waves of viral illnesses such as seasonal flu, are a reminder that vigilance in child health is always necessary.

The NRSF catalogue is available on the Archives Hub: Records of the National Reye’s Syndrome Foundation of the United Kingdom.  If you’d like any more information please contact [email protected].

Sarah Broady
Archivist and Records Manager
Royal College of Paediatrics and Child Health

Related

Records of the National Reye’s Syndrome Foundation of the United Kingdom, 1929-2024

Records of the Royal College of Paediatrics and Child Health, 1928 to date

Previous feature by the Royal College of Paediatrics and Child Health Archive: Royal College of Paediatrics and Child Health Archives: celebrating 75 years of female members

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