Triphasil Affects Ranking
Triphasil topped the list in 1996, with 20% of respondents naming it as their No. 1 choice. Why, then, has Triphasil dropped to third place? Protracted difficulties in obtaining clinic pill packs may be the cause. (See Contraceptive Technol-ogy Update, June 1997, p. 65.) Ortho Tri-Cyclen and Ortho-Cyclen were the second (19%) and third (18%) top selections last year.
For clinicians who list Triphasil as a leading choice, the availability of clinic pill packs is a problem. Carol Clark, CRNP, who supervises family planning at Garrett County Health Department in Oakland, MD, says her facility now receives round compact-style packs that are hard for patients to understand, and quantities have been limited to 90 per month. Maryland health department directives now allow family planners to dispense 13 packs at a time for patient convenience, so the facility’s allotment vanishes almost immediately. Even though patients are satisfied with Triphasil, Clark says she may discontinue its use due to the availability issue. She now uses Tri-Cyclen for first-start patients.
You have reached your article limit for the month. Subscribe now to access this article plus other member-only content.
- Award-winning Medical Content
- Latest Advances & Development in Medicine
- Unbiased Content