Pfizer’s New Injectable Contraceptive, Sayana Press, Is Launched by DKT International to Improve Access and Assist Women with Reproductive Health in Nigeria
Washington, DC (PRWEB) September 03, 2014 -- Sayana Press (a new formulation and presentation of Depo-Provera) from Pfizer, the worldwide leading pharmaceutical company, is being co-launched by Pfizer and DKT International in Nigeria. Sayana Press comes in a new pre-filled, sterile, single dose, easy-to-use, 3-month injectable contraceptive. This marks the first time the product is being offered commercially on the African continent. The introduction will help women access effective, safe, affordable and quality contraceptive products to assist with their reproductive health and family planning.
“We are proud to be the first in Africa to launch this product commercially. As Nigeria is Africa’s most populous country and the 7th most populous country in the world, the lessons we learn here will help many developing countries prepare for additional product introduction”, said DKT Nigeria Country Director, Dimos Sakellaridis.
The three-month, progestin-only injectable contraceptive is packaged in the Uniject™ injection system, a small, prefilled, auto-disable device. The system enables a precise dosage and less painful injection than other 3-month injectable products because the needle is smaller and the injection is delivered subcutaneously instead of intramuscularly. The prefilled- exact dosage is 104 mg DMPA (medroxyprogesterone acetate) and has the same efficacy as the 150mg DMPA of Depo Provera.
The contraceptive offers women safe, effective, convenient and private protection. It is expected to increase contraceptive access and reach new users rather than replace the intramuscular presentation of DMPA, which is being used successfully in a number of delivery settings. Regulatory authorities in Nigeria and the European Union have approved Sayana Press.
The launch could impact the availability of injectable contraceptives to new users, improve contraceptive continuation and reduce service-delivery costs. Such knowledge gained from the introduction of Sayana Press in Nigeria will inform the procurement and programming decisions of governments, non-governmental organizations, donors, and procurers regarding inclusion of such a contraceptive tool in the family planning method mix.
“Sayana Press could improve injectable contraceptive access for women worldwide by increasing the ease, safety, and reach of non-clinic delivery through means like community-based distribution and social marketing,” says Chris Purdy, president and CEO, DKT International.
Since DKT Nigeria was established in January 2013, a full range of contraceptives have been distributed including: Fiesta condoms (8 variants), Kiss condoms, Lydia Intra Uterine Devices (IUDs) Copper T, Safe Load and Sleek and Jadelle implants. The Lydia Safeload and Sleek are two innovative products whose introduction in Nigeria impressed healthcare providers. DKT Nigeria is in the process of registering a number of other products, such as oral daily pills, emergency contraceptives, and misoprostol.
The Nigerian efforts are critical because if current birth rates continue, by 2050 the country will become the third most populous country in the world, with an estimated 450 million people. Additionally, in the next decade, almost half of Nigeria’s population is expected to reach reproductive age.
The Nigerian effort is coordinated to ensure that voluntary family planning services, supplies and information reach women and girls in the world’s poorest countries. Many organizations have supported the introduction of this product in the global market. Public and private partners include the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation, the U.S. Agency for International Development (USAID), the United Kingdom’s Department for International Development (DFID), the United Nations Population Fund (UNFPA), Pfizer Inc., and PATH. These organizations are all part of larger plans to reach women in sub-Saharan Africa and South Asia between 2013 and 2016 with the introduction of Sayana Press.
Since 1989, the nonprofit organization DKT International has been promoting family planning and HIV/AIDS prevention through social marketing with 22 programs in 19 countries. In 2013, DKT provided and sold 548 million condoms, almost 72 million cycles of oral contraceptives, over 16 million injectable contraceptives, 1.8 million IUDs, and 14 million misoprostol pills. In 2013 as well, DKT served 21 million couples and prevented 8.3 million unwanted pregnancies, 12,364 maternal deaths, and 1.8 million abortions.
Brad Ginsburg, Global Communication Works, +1 (713) 721-4774, [email protected]
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