Ulipristal Acetate for Emergency Contraception: Effective but Hard to Obtain

U.S. national survey indicates limited pharmacy access to UA.

Ulipristal acetate (UA) provides emergency contraception (EC) that is more effective than levonorgestrel (LNG); moreover, UA appears to be more effective than LNG in obese and overweight women. Nonetheless, UA is available only by prescription whereas LNG is available without a prescription. Package labeling for UA specifies that a single 30 mg tablet should be taken orally within 5 days of unprotected sex. To assess pharmacy availability of UA, investigators performed a national “secret shopper” telephone survey of 10 cities with populations of ≥500,000 in all major U.S. regions.

Among 344 pharmacies, 10% indicated they could fill a prescription for UA immediately. Availability did not vary by region. Almost three quarters of pharmacies wit…

Reviewing Author

Andrew M. Kaunitz, MD

Disclosures

RoyaltiesUpToDate

Grant/Research SupportMerck, Mithra, Medicines360

Editorial BoardsContraception; Menopause; Contraceptive Technology Update; OBG Management; Medscape OB/GYN & Women’s Health

Andrew M. Kaunitz, MD

Disclosures

RoyaltiesUpToDate

Grant/Research SupportMerck, Mithra, Medicines360

Editorial BoardsContraception; Menopause; Contraceptive Technology Update; OBG Management; Medscape OB/GYN & Women’s Health

Ulipristal Acetate for Emergency Contraception: Effective but Hard to Obtain

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Reviewing Author