Warringtonformulary for oral contraceptives

Background

  • The Pan Mersey formulary contains a range of options for contraception, including expensive market leading brands for each type of contraceptive preparations.Oral contraceptives should be prescribed using the brand name to promote patient familiarity and compliance.
  • Warrington CCG spends about £200,000 a year on oral contraceptives.

There are currently two companies (Morningside and Consilient Health) that produce a range of branded generic oral contraceptives which are more cost-effective compared with market leading brands. Warrington CCG could make savings on the prescribing budget if patients were initiated on abranded generic oral contraceptive instead of expensive market leaders.

  • A comparison review of Morningside and Consilient productswas undertaken by the Medicines Management Team(MMT) and this took into considerationproduct availability, price guarantee and bioequivalence to market leaders. The recommendation from this review was to use theConsilient product range as first line choices and this has been accepted by Warrington CCG Quality Committee.
  • The local Integrated Sexual health Service and the pharmacy department at Warrington and Halton Hospitals Foundation Trust (who supply sexual health clinics) were consulted and inputted into the final recommendations.

Recommendations for Warrington

The table below showsthe preferred first line options by Consilientand the cost comparison to equivalent market leading brands per 3 cycle-pack.

Note: the Integrated Sexual Health Service has requested that the market leading brand Cilest should remain as first choice where monophasic - Ethinylestradiol 35mcg plus Norgestimate 250mcg is required. Consilient Health does not currently have an equivalent product to Cilest.

GENERIC NAME / Commonly used/ market leading brands / Cost for 3 cycle / Recommended Consilient Health brand name (prescribe by brand name) / Cost for 3 cycle pack
Desogestrel 75 mcg / Cerazette / £8.68 / Cerelle / £3.50
Ethinylestradiol 30mcg/ levonorgestrel 150mcg / Microgynon 30 / £2.82 / Rigevidon / £1.89
Ethinylestradiol 30mcg/ levonorgestrel 150mcg / Ovranette / £2.20
Ethinylestradiol 30mcg/ desogestrel 150mcg / Marvelon / £6.45 / Gedarel 30/150 / £4.19
Ethinylestradiol 20mcg/ desogestrel 150mcg / Mercilon / £7.67 / Geradel 20/150 / £5.08
Ethinylestradiol 30mcg/ gestodene 75mcg / Femodene / £6.73 / Millinette 30/75 / £4.12
Ethinylestradiol 30mcg/ gestodene 75mcg / Katya / £5.03
Ethinylestradiol 20mcg/ gestodene 75mcg / Femodette / £8.85 / Millinette 20/75 / £5.41
Ethinylestradiol 20mcg/ gestodene 75mcg / Sunya / £6.62
Ethinylestradiol 30mcg &Levonorgestrel 50mcg; Ethinylestradiol 40mcg &Levonorgestrel75mcg;Ethinylestradiol 30mcg &Levonorgestrel125mcg; / Logynon / £3.82 / TriRegol / £2.44
Ethinylestradiol 35mcg/ norgestimate 250mcg / Cilest / £7.16
Ethinylestradiol 30mcg/ drospirenone 3mg / Yasmin / £14.70 / Lucette / £9.35

Prices taken from MIMS May 2014

It is recommended that the Pan Mersey formulary should be followed for other type of preparations that are not mentioned above.

NOTE:Consilient Health pills have a free downloadable reminder App called “MyOC” to provide women with a daily pill reminder and supporting information about their contraceptive which may aid compliance.

The company also offers a comprehensive support package for healthcare professionals.

Further information as well as patient supporting information can be obtained from the website:

JANETH WARD

PRESCRIBING ADVISER,

WARRINGTON MEDICINES MANAGEMENT TEAM,

16 JUNE 2014