In a joint press release on May 8, Pfizer Inc., the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation, and the Children’s Investment Fund Foundation announced that the injectable contraceptive, Sayana® Press, will be made available to qualified purchasers at a guaranteed public sector price of US $0.85 per dose for the next six years. The longer-acting contraceptive, which uses a prefilled, single-use, auto-disposable injection system, was previously available at US $1.00 per dose.
Approved for use in 40 countries, Sayana® Press eliminates the need to prepare a needle and syringe and can be stored without refrigeration, allowing for provision outside a clinical setting. It is also approved for self-injection after health care worker instruction in 17 countries, offering women additional choice.
In 2014, pilot programs in Niger, Senegal, and Uganda found strong demand for Sayana® Press, particularly among young women and new users of modern family planning methods. By the end of 2016, 6.4 million units of Sayana Press were shipped to 20 developing countries, potentially reaching 1.5 million women — up from 360,000 women at the end of 2014.
To learn more about ongoing country introduction activities, visit the FP2020 website. PATHrecently developed an advocacy pack of information, data, and tools, to advance policy change and mobilize resources to support expanded access to this method.