Pharmac is seeking public feedback on a proposal to fund a progestogen-only oral contraceptive pill — called desogestrel.
A range of oral contraceptive pills were currently available in New Zealand, and funding the desogestrel pill — branded as Cerazette — would provide another option for people to help prevent pregnancy.
Pharmac’s medicines management lead Melissa Copland said about 43,000 people were expected to benefit from desogestrel in the first full year of funding.
“We understand having desogestrel available might better suit the needs of people who don’t want to or can’t take a contraceptive pill containing oestrogen. It can also be used by people who are breastfeeding,” she said.
Desogestrel — a tablet taken at about the same time every day — helped prevent pregnancy when taken within a 12 hour window each day, which was a wider window than other funded progestogen-only pills, which was three hours.
It would be funded without any eligibility criteria so it could be prescribed for any relevant use and be available on a six-month prescription, as were other contraceptives.
Consultation on the proposal to fund the progestogen-only option from April 1 this year was now open and would close on February 18 at 4pm.
