International Campaign for Women’s Right to Safe Abortion

The ICMA have launched a new international campaign for women’s right to safe abortion. Individuals and organisations are invited to join the campaign in advance of 28 May, the International Day of Action for Women’s Health. To read more and to register support go to https://www.surveymonkey.com/s/CHH62F5

UNFPA announces ‘Maternal Deaths Halved in 20 Years’.

The number of women dying of pregnancy and childbirth related complications has almost halved in 20 years, according to new estimates released by the World Health Organization (WHO), United Nations Children’s Fund (UNICEF), United Nations Population Fund (UNFPA) and the World Bank.

US regulators vote for approval of PrEP by large majority.

The US Food and Drug Administration (FDA) have taken a decisive step towards approving the use of the combination pill Truvada (tenofovir/FTC) as a prevention method for HIV-negative people. Read more at NAMaidsmap. GlobalData.com reported on 11th May – In a controversial decision on May 10, the FDA antiviral drugs advisory committee backed Gilead Sciences’ drug Truvada to prevent the transmission of HIV. The committee voted in favour of prophylactic Truvada in three populations: HIV-uninfected men who have sex with men (19-3), in HIV-uninfected partners in relationships with infected partners (19-2), and for individuals at risk of acquiring HIV through sexual activity (12-8).  Although awareness of HIV and AIDs has significantly increased throughout recent decades, the disease remains a global epidemic requiring better preventative strategies. Yet the possibility that on June 15 the FDA will approve Truvada for pre-exposure prophylaxis (PrEP) has provoked strong and divided opinions from infectious disease experts and activists. Read more at globaldata.com

Victories for Center for Reproductive Rights

Victory for Honduran Women

On May 17, 2012, the Center for Reproductive Rights held a demonstration on the steps of the Honduran Congress. Their mission: to stop the government from passing a bill that would have imprisoned women for using emergency contraception. Alejandra Cárdenas, Legal Adviser for Latin America and the Caribbean, had planned to personally hand-deliver 730,000 petitions to the Congress signed by activists in more than 80 countries in protest. In a surprise move, Juan Orlando Hernández, president of the Congress, declined to take the petitions—but not because he didn’t hear the massive outcry. In fact, Hernández said he no longer planned to bring the bill up for debate—and even proclaimed support for women’s self-determination. Read more:

Two Groundbreaking Victories in Oklahoma:

Medication Abortion Protected

Judge Donald Worthington permanently blocked a state ban on medical abortion when he ruled that the law was “so completely at odds” with standard medical practice that it “can serve no purpose other than to prevent women from obtaining abortions and to punish and discriminate against those women who do. Read more:

and Oklahoma Personhood defeated

With a unanimous decision by the Oklahoma Supreme Court, the Center for Reproductive Rights has won its legal challenge to strike down a ballot initiative that would have given every fertilized egg the full legal rights of a person. It is not acceptable, they ruled, to propose amendments to the state constitution that are ‘repugnant to the Constitution of the United States.’” If passed, the amendment not only would have outlawed abortion in all cases—including in cases of rape or incest, fetal anomalies, or risk to a woman’s life—but also would have banned many forms of birth control and seriously threatened fertility treatments such as IVF. Read more:

Distress of child war and sex abuse victims halved by new trauma intervention

A new psychological intervention has been shown to more than halve the trauma experienced by child victims of war, rape and sexual abuse. Researchers at Queen’s University Belfast pioneered the intervention in conjunction with the international NGO, World Vision as part of a wider programme to treat psychological distress in child victims of war and sexual violence in the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC). Read more:

Crucial Issues for Health Joint Strategic Needs Assessments and Local Health & Wellbeing Strategies

Joint Guidance has been published by FSRH, BASHH, fpa, Brook, BHIVA, MedFASH, NAT, THT & NHIVNA to guide and assist Local Authorities who are preparing to commission sexual & reproductive health & HIV services when local government takes up its new public health responsibilities in April 2013.  In the coming months every Local Authority will need to:
- complete a Health Joint Strategic Needs Assessment (JSNA)
- establish a Health & Wellbeing Strategy & investment plan
- prepare to commission public health services.

FSRH response to APPG inquiry

The Faculty has published its response to the APPG on SRH inquiry into restriction on access to contraceptive services as outlined in the blog of 20th April.

Workforce Census 2012

Service representatives are directed to the Faculty Workforce Census for 2012. Forms are available online via the FSRH website and need to be completed by 30th June 2012.

GMC Fitness to Practise reforms

From 11 June 2012 the Medical Practitioners Tribunal Service (MPTS) will be the new impartial adjudication service for the medical profession in the UK. The MPTS will hear all fitness to practise cases about doctors and makes decisions on what action is needed to protect patients, if any. The MPTS is part of the GMC, but it is operationally separate from the GMC’s work in investigating complaints about doctors and presenting cases at hearings. Complete guide to the MPTS available from FSRH website.

Lidegaard O, Nielson LH, Skovlund CW, Lokkegaard E. Venous thrombosis in users of non-oral hormonal contraception: follow-up study, Denmark 2001-10 BMJ 2012;344:e2990 doi: 10.1136/bmj.e2990 (Published 10 May 2012)

This is basically a companion paper to the one published last year in the BMJ, which concentrated on the Pill and was comprehensively criticised in the January issue of the Journal (Dinger & Shapiro 2012), to which readers are referred, as well as to the Rapid Responses posted on the BMJ website. This analysis, also from the Danish registry looks at the EVRA patch NuvaRing, Implanon and the levonorgestrel-releasing intra-uterine system (Mirena IUS). All the previous issues of confounding, lack of information regarding smoking, BMI, and family history, and not comparing like with like apply here.

It is important to compare new users with new users, as a well-established fact is that the risk of VTE is highest in the first 6 months of use of oestrogen-containing contraceptives. It is therefore important to look at the launch dates of contraceptive products. NuvaRing was launched in Denmark in late 2001 / early 2002, while the EVRA patch was launched there in September 2003. Meanwhile combined pills containing levonorgestrel have been in use since the 1970s, and those containing norgestimate since the mid 1980s. Thus, since the study period began in 2001, all users of NuvaRing and EVRA must have been new users, and so also more likely to be first time users / women with risk factors. Meanwhile, the users of the comparator COCs were more likely to be long term users and therefore at lower risk, since the high risk women in those groups will have been weeded out within the first 6 months of use – before the study began (ie attrition of susceptibles). The effect of duration of use is most clearly seen with NuvaRing in Table 4, where compared with non-users of hormonal contraceptives,  the relative risk becomes appreciably lower with increasing duration of use, declining from 8.36 for <1 year of use to 3.83 for use of 1 to 4 years. In addition, the numbers in each duration category are small, leading to random variability.  For the patch (6 exposed women) and the implant (5 women) not even the overall numbers are adequate.

With regard to the two progestogen only methods under study, not surprisingly neither was associated with a significantly increased risk of VTE – progestogen only methods have not been implicated in VTE risk, since this is related to oestrogen (Reid et al, 2010). Indeed, progestogen only methods are advised for women with risk factors for VTE (Blanco-Molina et al 2012). However, in the abstract, the authors misleadingly state that ‘the relative risk was increased in women who used subcutaneous implants’ and yet their relative risk of 1.4 had confidence intervals of 0.6 – 3.4, ie not even approaching statistical significance.  For the IUS, not only was the relative risk not increased, it was significantly decreased at 0.6 (95% CI 0.4 – 0.8). This has no biological plausibility and simply highlights the lack of credibility of the analysis.

Anne Szarewski, Editor-in-Chief, J Fam Plann Reprod Health Care

Diana Mansour, Consultant in Community Gynaecology and Reproductive Health Care, Head of Sexual Health Services, Newcastle Upon Tyne,

References

Dinger JC, Shapiro S. Combined oral contraceptives, venous thromboembolism, and the problem of interpreting large but incomplete datasets  J Fam Plann Reprod Health Care 2012;38:2–6. doi:10.1136/jfprhc-2011-100260

Reid RL, Westhoff C, Mansour D, de Vries C, Verhaeghe J, Boschitsch E,et al.   Oral Contraceptives and Venous Thromboembolism: Consensus Opinion from an International Workshop held in Berlin, Germany in December 2009  J Fam Plann Reprod Health Care 2010; 36(3): 117–122

Blanco-Molina MA, Lozano M, Cano A, Cristobal I, Pallardo LP, Lete I. Progestin-only contraception and venous thromboembolism Thrombosis Research 129 (2012) e257–e262

Melinda Gates’ New Crusade: Investing Billions in Women’s Health

Melinda Gates this week pledged billions of dollars to be spent on improving access to contraception. In her many travels she repeatedly met women who were unable to gain access to something which most of the rest of the world take for granted. In an interview with Newsweek she recounted stories from the women many of whom were unable, for example, to get repeat injections of Depo Provera. In July she is teaming up with the British government to cosponsor a summit of world leaders in London, to start raising the $4 billion the Foundation says it will cost to get 120 million more women access to contraceptives by 2020. And in a move that could be hugely significant for American women, the Foundation is pouring money into the long-neglected field of contraceptive research, seeking entirely new methods of birth control. Ultimately Gates hopes to galvanize a global movement. “When I started to realize that that needed to get done in family planning, I finally said, OK, I’m the person that’s going to do that,” she says. More from the Gates Foundation website.

Paper confirms EC IUD failure rate less than 1 per 1000

Authors of the first ever systematic review of all available data from the last 35 years argue that IUDs should be routinely offered and available to those requesting emergency contraception. They found that the failure rate was less than 1 per 1000 when they analysed data from 42 studies involving 7034 women using 8 different IUDs. They also found that 85% clinicians in one study never offered this as an option. In a press release this week one of the authors, Professor James Trussell, said:

“This is an extremely difficult problem to deal with, especially as in many countries women can just go to their local pharmacy to obtain the ‘morning after pill’, but virtually no women know to ask for an IUD and many family planning clinics and surgeries do not offer same-day insertion. Offering same-day insertion would remove a huge barrier to the greater use of IUDs.”

Online First – Postnatal contraceptive choices in HIV-positive women [Duncan et al.]

Gillian Robinson (Associate Editor) writes:

“This paper describes an exciting example of how an integrated contraception and sexual health service can work to provide holistic care for women. This clinic provides women living with HIV with prenatal, antenatal and postnatal care in a community setting. The paper is a retrospective case note review. Uptake of postnatal contraception was high yet more than 20% of women were not seen postnatally. The authors suggest that the reasons for this are explored to ensure all women with HIV receive contraception in the early postnatal period to prevent unwanted pregnancy.”

NAT calls for new health bodies to tackle late diagnosis of HIV

“Halve It”, a broad coalition of leading experts and advocates in HIV and AIDS, welcomes the renewed call by the National AIDs Trust (NAT) for the urgent prioritisation of HIV testing in its new ‘HIV testing action plan’ which provides vital strategic guidance to health bodies on tackling the serious issue of late HIV diagnosis in the UK.

FDA Approves first pill for Heavy Menstrual Bleeding (HMB)

Natazia is a combination oral contraceptive (COC) consisting of estradiol valerate and estradiol valerate/dienogest. The US Food and Drug Administration (FDA) first approved Natazia in May 2010 to prevent pregnancy. On March 14, 2012, the FDA also approved Natazia to treat heavy menstrual bleeding (HMB), making it the first and only OC indicated for this purpose. One interesting thing is that until now we have known Natazia, in the UK, as Qlaira and until now it has not been widely used. More details at Medscape.

UK women misdiagnosing genital infections

To mark National BV Day on 18th April a study found that one in four British women has misdiagnosed themselves on the internet. Researchers found Dr Google is now the first port of call for women with genuine health concerns who are almost twice as likely to check online before consulting a doctor or even talking to Mum. But searching their symptoms online and self-medicating has led a tenth of the country’s women to endure unpleasant side effects as a result of their misdiagnosis.

Morning after pill courier service launched

A new service allows women (living in London) to order emergency contraception on the internet, so it arrives within two hours, rather than having to see their GP to obtain the drugs. For £20, women can order the drug by filling out an online form through the internet medical practice DrEd.com. The forms, which ask users to confirm they are aged over 18, will be assessed by doctors before pills are dispatched by courier. Currently they only offer Levonelle®, which can also be purchased in advance and by buying 2 packets for £24.00 at a saving of 37%.

Pharmacists should provide oral contraceptive services, says NHS report

As reported by Jacqui Wise in the BMJ:
“A report from NHS South East London has recommended that trained community pharmacists provide oral contraceptive consultation services after a successful pilot scheme to widen access to contraception.  The part of the report that has received the most media coverage is a recommendation to “consider providing the service to women under 16 years where appropriate.” The report said that this may help reduce numbers of teenage pregnancies.”

Brook and fpa respond to proposal to introduce contraceptive pill in pharmacies

Responding to the proposal that the contraceptive pill should be available from pharmacies without a prescription to young people, including those under 16, the chief executives of Brook and FPA, Simon Blake and Julie Bentley said: “The majority of young people under 16 are not having sex, however we must ensure that those who are can access support and services when they need to. “Although Brook and FPA welcome proposals which could increase young people’s access to sexual health services and information, all the necessary safeguards must be in place to ensure young people can get the information and support they need. “This includes pharmacists having the appropriate clinical knowledge about contraception, being able to communicate effectively with young people, having the right type of environment including a confidential space, as well as the appropriate support and referral networks.”

Egg-Sharing in Fertility Treatment

Evaluating egg-sharing: new findings on old debates – as reported in BioNews
Egg-sharing refers to a scheme where a woman undergoing fertility treatment donates a portion of her eggs to an anonymously matched recipient in exchange for a reduction in treatment costs. As a very specific form of egg donation, egg-sharing has generated heated debate since its introduction in the UK in 1998. While proponents argue it provides a win-win solution, allowing two women to help each other conceive, critics talk of the potential ethical and psychological consequences. Until recently, there has been very little empirical data to inform these discussions. However, new research conducted by Gurtin and Golombok at the University of Cambridge Centre for Family Research, in collaboration with the London Women’s Clinic, hopes to redress this balance.

Men’s health expert presents to Members of European Parliament

A leading men’s health expert presented a report detailing the health challenges facing men across Europe MEPs and key European decision-makers at the European Parliament in Brussels.

Professor Alan White, Director of the Centre for Men’s Health at Leeds Metropolitan University was commissioned by the European Commission to produce a report which gives the first complete picture of the breadth of issues affecting men’s health across Europe.  Professor White brought together 36 leading researchers from 34 countries across Europe to undertake the research which highlights the state of men’s health in Europe as a serious public health concern. more info

Faculty Consultations

The CEU Guideline on “Barrier Methods-Contraception and STI prevention” is for consultation until 21st May. see FSRH website:

BASHH Mentoring Group is currently seeking new members:

BASHH would like new representatives to support coordination of mentors and mentees within North West regions and Wales. The successful candidates would also be involved in the activities that the Mentoring Group is currently taking forward nationally. Closing date for applications: 16^th May 2012.  see BASHH website for more details

And finally – we hear reports that Virgin Care have obtained ‘preferred bidder’ status in the tender to run West Sussex sexual health services .