FDA to start testing of 50 contraceptives

MANILA, Philippines — The  Food and Drug Administration (FDA) has opened the certification process for the second batch of 50 contraceptive products after the Court of Appeals (CA) denied the motion for reconsideration asking to stop the FDA from certifying these.

The CA denied the motion for reconsideration filed by pro-life group Alliance for the Family Foundation Philippines Inc. (Alfi).

This enabled the FDA to resume the certification process of contraceptives to ensure that these are safe and non-abortifacient in compliance with the Responsible Parenthood and Reproductive Health Act of 2012 (RH law).

In the FDA Advisory No. 2018-195 dated June 8, 2018, the agency has invited the public to submit their “petitions and any corresponding evidence on the mechanism of action” of the contraceptive products.

The RH law requires the FDA to open the certification process to manufacturers, distributors and other stakeholders. The products will also have to undergo technical process before these can be certified as safe and non-abortifacient.

Among the 50 contraceptive products for certification are subdermal implants Levonorgestrel, Levonorgestrel + Ethinylestradiol, and Levonorgestrel + Ethinylestradiol + Ferrous fumarate.

According to Commission on Population executive director Juan Antonio Perez III, the full implementation of the RH law will be realized because the CA has dismissed Alfi’s motion for reconsideration.

“This development is a big push to the thrust of the Duterte administration to fully implement the said law as one its socioeconomic agenda,” he added.