Chewable birth control marketed

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TRENTON, N.J. (AP) -- The first chewable birth control product, a tiny, spearmint-flavored tablet that also can be swallowed without chewing, has reached pharmacy shelves.

Femcon Fe, which contains the same hormones as standard oral contraceptives, offers a new option for women who don't like swallowing pills or are on the go and want to take their birth control with them, according to Carl Reichel, president of drug maker Warner Chilcott of Rockaway.

Warner Chilcott, which makes prescription dermatology and women's health products, yesterday debuted the productaimed at women who sometimes forget to take their pills.

"This isn't a great leap forward, but I think this is a helpful step," said Dr. Lee Shulman, chairman of the Association of Reproductive Health Professionals, and an obstetrician-gynecologist at Northwestern Memorial Hospital and a professor at Northwestern University.

"I think it is a better approach in the group of women who have a very high rate of unintended pregnancy, which is younger women," Dr. Shulman said.

One-third to nearly one-half of women on birth control pills miss one or two per month, increasing their chances of pregnancy, according to multiple studies. With perfect use of combination pills, containing both estrogen and progestin, 0.1 percent of users become pregnant each year, compared with the 3 percent to 8 percent rate studies have found with typical use.

Femcon Fe, which the company says is just as effective as standard pills, comes in the typical 28-day cycle, with 21 days of active pills and seven days of inactive or "reminder" pills. The "Fe" stands for the chemical symbol for iron, which is included in the dummy pills.

A month's supply will sell for $44 wholesale, somewhat higher at pharmacies.

Femcon Fe is simply a chewable version of the company's Ovcon 35, a birth control pill that has already been on the market about three decades.

Mr. Reichel said the company initially planned to start selling the chewable contraceptive under the same name and had begun to distribute samples to doctors in late September. But when the company realized the two versions would confuse patients and pharmacists, it postponed the distribution and changed the name and trademark.

Women must drink 8 ounces of water with the tablet. Like other oral contraceptives, Femcon Fe does not protect against sexually transmitted diseases and carries an increased risk of blood clots, heart attack and stroke, particularly for female smokers over 35.