Population Council Research that makes a difference

New Initiative Expands Access to
Population Council–Developed Contraceptive Jadelle

26 September 2012 — Today, a new initiative was announced at the United Nations to significantly expand access for women in developing countries to Jadelle®, the two-rod levonorgestrel contraceptive implant. Jadelle is a long-lasting contraceptive that is effective for five years. It was developed by the Population Council, in conjunction with Leiras (now Bayer Pharma AG). 

Today's agreement makes Jadelle available to more than 27 million women in the world's poorest nations, allowing them to prevent, delay, or space pregnancy. According to the partners involved in this initiative, it will avert almost 30 million unintended pregnancies from 2013 to 2018 and will save an estimated $250 million in global health costs.

Below is a statement by Population Council President Peter J. Donaldson on today's announcement:

"This is a historic step forward in the effort to expand access around the world to this highly effective, long-acting reversible contraceptive. When women have greater access to family planning methods, they are empowered to decide whether, when, and how many children they will have. Innovative initiatives like this one will help ensure that the benefits of science and technology reach all women.

"Today's announcement complements years of effort by the Population Council to make Jadelle and other reproductive health care products and services available to the women who need them most. We thank and congratulate the Clinton Health Access Initiative; the Governments of Norway, the United Kingdom, the United States, and Sweden; The Children's Investment Fund Foundation; and Bayer for taking this important step forward."

The Population Council is dedicated to improving reproductive health around the world. In May 2012, the Council, in partnership with the Reproductive Health Supplies Coalition and the International Federation of Gynecology and Obstetrics, convened leading experts at the Bellagio Conference Center in Italy to create an action plan for increasing access to long-acting, reversible contraceptives like Jadelle and accelerating progress toward meeting the Millennium Development Goal of universal access to reproductive health services. Initiatives like the one announced today are a step forward for this action plan.

The Population Council partners with pharmaceutical companies to ensure that Council-developed contraceptives reach the global market. In keeping with the Council's mission, agreements with the Council include provisions for the product to be made available to the public sector at a fraction of the private-sector price. In addition to Jadelle, the Council partners with Bayer to make the LNG intrauterine system accessible to poor women in the United States and developing countries through the ICA and ARCH Foundations.

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About the Population Council
The Population Council confronts critical health and development issues—from stopping the spread of HIV to improving reproductive health and ensuring that young people lead full and productive lives. Through biomedical, social science, and public health research in 50 countries, we work with our partners to deliver solutions that lead to more effective policies, programs, and technologies that improve lives around the world. Established in 1952 and headquartered in New York, the Council is a nongovernmental, nonprofit organization governed by an international board of trustees.

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Media contact

Erin Kiernon: ekiernon@popcouncil.org; +1 212 339 0653