Pfizer’s Sayana Press self-injectable contraceptive available in UK

Pfizer secured a license for the contraceptive, allowing women to inject themselves at home rather than going to clinic or GP surgery.

Sayana Press combines a long-acting, reversible, contraceptive with an all-in-one prefilled, single-use, non-reusable Uniject injection system, eliminating the need to prepare a needle and syringe.

The UK Medicines and Healthcare Products Regulatory Agency (MHRA) has recently extended the label for the product. Each subcutaneous injection provides contraception for about 13 weeks.

The contraceptive is indicated to avoid pregnancy. It was approved for use by the MHRA in 2011.

Pfizer Global Established Pharma Business senior vice president and chief medical officer Salomon Azoulay said: "With this revised label, following consent from a healthcare professional and with proper training, UK women will now have the opportunity to administer Sayana® Press outside of a clinical setting.

"This is an exciting milestone for women in the United Kingdom, and, potentially, in countries around the world, who might prefer this method of contraception and mode of administration."

Pfizer said it will continue its efforts in bringing the updated label to additional markets globally, with an initial focus in Burkina Faso, Senegal and Uganda.

Sayana Press, which is not yet approved for self- injection outside of the EU, should not be used in women with known or suspected malignancy of the breast or genital organs, metabolic bone disease, active thromboembolic disease.

Women with current or past history of cerebrovascular disease are also exempted from the use of the contraceptive.

Image: Pfizer’s Sayana Press self-injectable contraceptive is indicated to avoid pregnancy. Photo: courtesy of PATH.