FDA: 51 contraceptives, including Implanon, can’t cause abortion

An implanon contraceptive is inserted under the skin of a
woman’s arm to control her fertility for three years. —JUNJIE
MENDOZA/CEBU DAILYNEWS

The 51 contraceptive products, including the controversial Implanon and Implanon NXT, that were covered by the temporary restraining order (TRO) of the Supreme Court, have been determined to be non-abortifacient, or cannot cause abortion, by the Food and Drug Administration (FDA).

In Advisory No. 2017-302 dated Nov. 11, 2017, the FDA said it has already concluded the re-evaluation of the 51 contraceptive products.

“Per the FDA Resolutions dated 10 November 2017 (on the applications for recertification filed by the Market Authorization Holders [MAHs] with opposition filed by Alliance for the Family Foundation, Philippines, Inc. [ALFI]), the foregoing contraceptive products have been determined to be NON-ABORTIFACIENT,” the FDA said in its advisory.

Reproductive Health (RH) Law advocates earlier said that the recertification of the contraceptives, which will attest to their safety and that they do not exhibit abortifacient properties, is good news for the long-awaited lifting of the TRO.

In a statement, the FDA said contraceptive products, which the agency evaluated for months, have passed the strict requirements of the technical review and reevaluation process.

“Having met the requirements and passed the standards, the FDA is now preparing the recertification of these products,” it added.

The complete list of the contraceptives has already been posted in the FDA website.

“The FDA would like to thank the various sectors which helped the agency ensure that the recertification process is participative and transparent even as we adhered strictly to the methods of science in undertaking this task,” the FDA said.

The Supreme Court had earlier said that the two-year-old TRO would be lifted only after the FDA had completed its recertification process and promulgated a decision. /je