Bayer to provide better access to contraceptives in poor countries

Hannah Blake

pharmaphorum

Over 200 million women in developing countries have no access to modern contraception and family planning services. To tackle this issue, a new initiative has been announced by the Norwegian Prime Minister at the United Nations headquarters in New York. The aim is to make a safe and effective long-acting and reversible method available to over 27 million women in the world’s poorest nations, , who do not wish to get pregnant.

The initiative is a joint effort between the Government of Norway and other partners, including Bayer HealthCare. Bayer is a leading company in the field of hormonal contraception and is the manufacturer of the World Health Organisation prequalified contraceptive implant, Jadelle (Norplant-2).

“Innovation is the key to our commercial success and at the same time the basis of our social commitment. That’s why we invest significantly in research and development of new treatment options. We want as many people as possible to share this progress – regardless of their income or where they live.”

Dr. Jörg Reinhardt, Chief Executive Officer of Bayer HealthCare AG.

The joint initiative will target approximately 42 of the world’s poorest countries, which have also been targeted by the UN Secretary General’s Global Strategy for Women’s and Children’s Health. These countries are those thought least likely to meet the goals set by the UN General Assembly in 1990 to improve maternal health by 2015.