Pharmacy Daily | New pill for Aussie women

AUSTRALIAN women, for the first time ever, now have access to a ‘natural pill’ Qlaira (oestradiol valerate and dienogest). Launched fifty years after the release of the pill, and to coincide with World Contraception Day (26 Sep), Qlaira is different to all the pills currently on the Australian market because it contains the hormone oestradiol valerate, which when metabolised converts to oestradiol, which is the same as the natural oestrogen produced by the ovaries. “The holy grail [with oral contraceptives] is to get a more natural hormone level,” leading sexual health expert Dr Christine Read told PD. “Theoretically there is a belief that a more natural pill means fewer side effects,” she added. According to Read, many years of research has been poured into using an alternative to existing hormones such as oestrogen, the results of which have usually turned up bleeding problems. Qlaira however solved this issue by using oestradiol valerate with the progestogen dienogest, and according to Read clinical trials have shown it to be as effective and safe as the current market leaders. “As more and more women start using Qlaira, we’ll also be able to determine [because of its more natural hormone workings] whether it produces lower levels of side effects than other pills out there,” Read said. Released in Europe around 18 months ago, Qlaira is available in Australia now, and according to Read is a good option for women who have previously stopped taking other pills on the market for various reasons. “It’s a choice,” Read said. “Not all women are the same, and we all have different bodies so what may work for one may not work for another. “Qlaira is another option for women who may not have been suited to other pill types,” she added. “Overseas it has also been found to have a good effect for women who have heavy periods,” Read said, adding that although it has not received TGA approval of an indication as a therapy for women with heavy bleeding, there is currently research being undertaken to see if it may be a viable option. The dosing of Qlaira is also another point of difference, with each pill numbered one to 28: the first two in the cycle containing just 3mg of oestradiol valerate, followed by five tablets containing 2mg of oestradiol valerate and 2mg dienogest, 17 tablets with 2mg oestradiol valerate and 3mg dienogest, two tablets each containing 1mg of oestradiol valerate and finishing with two white placebo tablets. Not yet listed on the PBS, Qlaira was trialled on women aged between 18 and 50, a fact which Read says means the drug is suitable for a “wide range of women”.

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