51 contraceptives to undergo recertification

MANILA, Philippines - Complying with a Supreme Court (SC) order, the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) will subject 51 contraceptive products to a recertification process.

The process is needed to determine if the products are safe and can be identified as non-abortifacient, said FDA director general Nela Charade Puno. 

“All concerned are invited to submit their petitions and any corresponding evidence on the mechanism of action of the following contraceptive products within 10 calendar days from the posting of this advisory,” read Advisory 2017-253 she issued yesterday.  

The products are comprised of variants of Cyproterone acetate+Ethinylestradiol, De-sogestrel, Desogestrel+Ethinylestradiol, Estradiol Valerate+Dienogest, Etonogestrel, Etonogestrel+Ethinylestradiol, Gestodene+Ethinylestradiol, Levonor-   gestrel, Levonorgestrel+Ethinylestradiol, Lynestrenol, Medroxyprogesterone acetate, Nomegestrol acetate+Estradiol, Norethis-terone Enanthate+Estradiol Valerate, Nore-thisterone+Ethinylestradiol, Norethisterone+ Ethinylestradiol+Ferrous fumarate and Copper Intrauterine Device. 

On April 25, the SC ordered the FDA to recertify the contraceptive products in response to the petition filed by Alliance for the Family Foundation, which claimed that some products could lead to abortion. 

It also stopped the Department of Health from including sub-dermal implants in its family planning program, aside from prohibiting the FDA from renewing the licenses of some contraceptive products.  

Several family planning advocates raised fears that the country would run out of contraceptives by 2018. They asked to have the order lifted sooner.