Birth Control News and Research

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Reproductive coercion and partner violence increase risk of unintended pregnancy

Young women and teenage girls often face efforts by male partners to sabotage birth control or coerce pregnancy - including damaging condoms and destroying contraceptives - and these efforts, defined as "reproductive coercion," frequently are associated with physical or sexual violence, a study by a team of researchers led by UC Davis has found.

25 Jan 2010

Also in Global Health News: Family planning in Philippines; drug pricing in Africa

A government survey in the Philippines "found 73 percent of married women would use birth control if it were available, 22 percentage points higher than the 51 percent that did use such methods," Agence France-Presse reports.

17 Jan 2010

Phase II clinical trial of Gilead Sciences' elvitegravir, GS 9350 and Truvada meets primary objective

Gilead Sciences, Inc. today announced that a Phase II clinical trial of its investigational integrase inhibitor-based, once-daily, fixed-dose “Quad” regimen of elvitegravir, GS 9350 and Truvada® (emtricitabine and tenofovir disoproxil fumarate) for the treatment of HIV-1 infection met its primary objective.

7 Jan 2010

Opinions: U.S. medical emergency response; micronutrients; rotavirus vaccine; antibiotic development

"[D]espite the tireless efforts of public health and health-care workers, America's experience with H1N1 shows that the nation is not prepared to deal with a flu pandemic," former Democratic Senator Bob Graham and former Republican Senator Jim Talent write in Washington Post opinion piece that examines U.S. preparedness for medical emergencies. The writers chaired the Commission on the Prevention of Weapons of Mass Destruction Proliferation and Terrorism.

6 Jan 2010

FREEDRUGCARD.US launches new Rx savings program to reduce prescription drug prices

If you are looking for the best way to save money on your prescription drugs then FREEDRUGCARD.US is your best option. The free prescription assistance drug card program is sponsored by a non-profit organization and was launched to help all Americans lower the cost of prescription drugs.

31 Dec 2009

Eli Lilly and Kowa Pharmaceuticals America to co-promote LIVALO in the U.S

Eli Lilly and Company (NYSE: LLY), Kowa Company, Limited, and Kowa's U.S. subsidiary, Kowa Pharmaceuticals America, Inc., today announced that Lilly and Kowa Pharmaceuticals America have entered into a co-promotion agreement in the United States to commercialize LIVALO® (pitavastatin). Lilly and Kowa have also entered into a licensing agreement in Latin America. LIVALO is a statin approved by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) in August 2009 for the treatment of primary hyperlipidemia and mixed dyslipidemia.

24 Dec 2009

Women using DMPA experience high BMD loss, researchers say

Nearly half of women using depot medroxyprogesterone acetate (DMPA), commonly known as the birth control shot, will experience high bone mineral density (BMD) loss in the hip or lower spine within two years of beginning the contraceptive, according to researchers at the University of Texas Medical Branch at Galveston.

22 Dec 2009

Teens, contraception and unplanned pregnancy

Nearly all unmarried young adults ages 18-29 believe pregnancy is something that should be planned (94% of men and 86% of women) and say that it is important to avoid pregnancy in their lives right now (86% of men and 88% of women), according to new research released by The National Campaign to Prevent Teen and Unplanned Pregnancy.

15 Dec 2009

McClatchy series examines Africa's population

"Although it's frequently portrayed as a continent decimated by epidemics, starvation and war, Africa is gripped by one of the greatest population explosions ever recorded.

14 Dec 2009

Genentech announces Phase III study of Avastin in women treated with chemotherapy for advanced breast cancer

Genentech, Inc., a wholly owned member of the Roche Group, today announced results from a Phase III study (RIBBON 2) of Avastin® (bevacizumab) in women who had previously been treated with initial (first-line) chemotherapy for advanced HER2-negative breast cancer and needed additional (second-line) treatment.

14 Dec 2009

Abbott submits SIMCOR sNDA for two new dosage strengths

Abbott has submitted a supplemental new drug application (sNDA) to the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) for two new dosage strengths of SIMCOR®, a cholesterol medication. SIMCOR is a fixed-dose combination of niacin extended-release and simvastatin.

10 Dec 2009

Doubling of global investments in family planning, birth control could cut maternal, newborn deaths, report says

By doubling investments in family planning and birth control, developing countries could nearly halve newborn deaths and reduce maternal deaths by 70 percent, a new report said Thursday, Reuters reports.

4 Dec 2009

Control over male fertility and hope for low sperm count

A new research report published in the December 2009 print issue of The FASEB Journal could one day give men similar type of control over their fertility that women have had since the 1960s. That's because scientists have found how and where androgenic hormones work in the testis to control normal sperm production and male fertility. This opens a promising avenue for the development of "the pill" for men. The discovery also offers hope to those who cannot have children because of low sperm counts.

1 Dec 2009

Genentech submits sBLAs to the FDA for Avastin

Genentech, Inc., a wholly-owned member of the Roche Group, today announced that the company submitted two supplemental Biologics License Applications (sBLAs) to the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) for Avastin® (bevacizumab) for the treatment of women who have not received chemotherapy for advanced (metastatic) HER2-negative breast cancer (first-line treatment). One sBLA is based on the Phase III study AVADO that investigated Avastin in combination with docetaxel chemotherapy.

17 Nov 2009

Also in Global Health News: HIV/AIDS in Uganda; medical equipment in Tanzania; birth control in Afghanistan; Ethiopia malaria fight

"The Uganda AIDS Commission (UAC) is revamping its national HIV information campaign after HIV prevention messages were less successful than hoped," PlusNews reports. "Campaigns aimed at ending cross-generational sex will be abandoned in favour of generic warnings about engaging in risky sex because of fears that young people may believe that sex within their own generation is risk-free. Officials have also said factors such as alcohol abuse, which predispose people to risky sexual behaviour, must be tackled alongside HIV prevention" (11/16).

16 Nov 2009

Tips for treating age-related dermatologic concerns

Everyone expects their bodies to change as they get older. From wrinkles and sagging skin to brittle bones and aches and pains, the aging process is inevitable. In addition, there are a number of medical dermatologic conditions that surface with age that can cause people even more stress. Fortunately, dermatologists can help diagnose and treat these conditions no matter when they strike.

11 Nov 2009

Court denies preliminary injunction against Hologic, Conceptus to continue patent infringement suit

Conceptus, Inc., developer of the Essure® procedure, the first proven non-incisional permanent birth control method available, today announced that the United Stated District Court, Northern District of California has denied Conceptus’ motion for a preliminary injunction prohibiting Hologic, Inc. from importing, using, selling or offering to sell the Adiana system in the United States.

From Hologic, Inc. 10 Nov 2009

Cardinal Rigali to support health care bill if an amendment preserving the status quo for abortion is voted upon

American Life League president Judie Brown released the following statement on the news that Cardinal Justin Rigali will support Speaker Nancy Pelosi's Affordable Health Care for America Act (H.R. 3962), provided an amendment preserving the status quo for abortion is voted upon.

9 Nov 2009

Conceptus reports clinical success of its Essure non-incisional permanent birth control procedure

Conceptus, Inc., developer of the Essure® procedure, the first proven non-incisional permanent birth control method available, today announced that the clinical success of the Essure® procedure will be highlighted at the 18th Annual Congress of the European Society for Gynaecological Endoscopy (ESGE) in Florence, Italy from October 28-31, 2009.

29 Oct 2009

Also in Global Health news: U.S. grant to Uganda; reproductive health in Philippines; counterfeit drugs

The U.S. Embassy in Uganda announced a grant of $246 million in new aid for improving the Uganda's agricultural and health systems, Reuters reports. "More than $170 million will be spent on health and education to combat the HIV/AIDS pandemic, fight tuberculosis, eradicate malaria, improve maternal and child health and increase access to family planning and reproductive health services," the news service writes (Biryabarema, 10/27).

27 Oct 2009