Wall Street looks at Birth Control Pill Lybrel That Stops Periods

The Wall Street Journal on Wednesday examined Wyeth's birth control
pill Lybrel, which can eliminate women's monthly periods. The usual
regimen for oral contraceptives is 21 active pills taken
consecutively, followed by seven placebo pills. During the week of
placebo pills, women bleed and experience other menstrual symptoms.
The period women experience during the week of placebo pills is a
"withdrawal bleed," which "isn't entirely the same as" normal
menstrual bleeding, the Journal reports. Lybrel, which contains a
lower dose of synthetic hormones in a daily dose than traditional oral
contraceptives, is taken 365 days a year with no placebo pills.
According to Wyeth, Lybrel stopped 71% of women's bleeding after seven
months. One study shows that almost all women who took the drug began
experiencing their periods within three months of terminating its use.
Wyeth, which has applied for FDA approval of Lybrel, expects the
agency to make a decision by late June.

Benefits, Challenges

";The reason most traditional oral contraceptives have [placebo-pill]
periods during which bleeding occurs was to increase women's comfort
levels with taking something they might otherwise view as an unnatural
disturbance of menstrual cycles," according to the Journal. But,
"[t]here's no real medical need to have the withdrawal bleed at all,"
Paula Amato, a gynecologist and professor at Baylor College of
Medicine in Houston, said, adding that there are advantages to
eliminating the withdrawal bleed, such as reducing pain, headaches,
moodiness and bloating. Women without periods also could improve their
productivity at work and would not have to purchase feminine products,
which could save them money, she said. Women's perceptions of Lybrel
still could pose challenges to Wyeth, according to the company. Some
women might think that not having a period is "unnatural,"; be
concerned that daily doses of hormones could harm their health or
worry that they will not be able to menstruate normally or become
pregnant after taking the drug, according to the Journal. "There are
some women who feel they need to have a period," Ginger Constantine,
vice president of Wyeth's pharmaceutical unit of women's health care
and bone repair, said. However, Lybrel is no less "natural" than other
oral contraceptive pills and has similar risks, including blood clot,
stroke and heart attack, she added.

Source: http://www.medicalnewstoday.com/medicalnews.php?newsid=44014

Messages in this topic (1) Reply (via web post) | Start a new topic

.

Hey Joe & Everyone,

5-27-07:

It is called:

Lybrel

Look back on this post when it is called 'LIBEL'

P.I. LAWYERS have made way too many 'healthcare options' a 'MYTH'
that we as Americans remember 'fondly' in our...

PAST.

Such as:

AFFORDABLE HEALTCARE.

I'll give the 'NEW PILL' 2 years before the first Lawsuit.

Best Wishes From Tropical Texas...

Where every 'mistake' ends up in higher CO-PAYS!

Christian B. Oliver CPhT

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The Wall Street Journal on Wednesday examined Wyeth's birth control
pill Lybrel, which can eliminate women's monthly periods. The usual
regimen for oral contraceptives is 21 active pills taken
consecutively, followed by seven placebo pills. During the week of
placebo pills, women bleed and experience other menstrual symptoms.
The period women experience during the week of placebo pills is a
"withdrawal bleed," which "isn't entirely the same as" normal
menstrual bleeding, the Journal reports. Lybrel, which contains a
lower dose of synthetic hormones in a daily dose than traditional oral
contraceptives, is taken 365 days a year with no placebo pills.
According to Wyeth, Lybrel stopped 71% of women's bleeding after seven
months. One study shows that almost all women who took the drug began
experiencing their periods within three months of terminating its use.
Wyeth, which has applied for FDA approval of Lybrel, expects the
agency to make a decision by late June.

Benefits, Challenges

";The reason most traditional oral contraceptives have [placebo-pill]
periods during which bleeding occurs was to increase women's comfort
levels with taking something they might otherwise view as an unnatural
disturbance of menstrual cycles," according to the Journal. But,
"[t]here's no real medical need to have the withdrawal bleed at all,"
Paula Amato, a gynecologist and professor at Baylor College of
Medicine in Houston, said, adding that there are advantages to
eliminating the withdrawal bleed, such as reducing pain, headaches,
moodiness and bloating. Women without periods also could improve their
productivity at work and would not have to purchase feminine products,
which could save them money, she said. Women's perceptions of Lybrel
still could pose challenges to Wyeth, according to the company. Some
women might think that not having a period is "unnatural,"; be
concerned that daily doses of hormones could harm their health or
worry that they will not be able to menstruate normally or become
pregnant after taking the drug, according to the Journal. "There are
some women who feel they need to have a period," Ginger Constantine,
vice president of Wyeth's pharmaceutical unit of women's health care
and bone repair, said. However, Lybrel is no less "natural" than other
oral contraceptive pills and has similar risks, including blood clot,
stroke and heart attack, she added.

Source: http://www.medicalnewstoday.com/medicalnews.php?newsid=44014

Messages in this topic (0) Reply (via web post) | Start a new topic

.