With a shortage of two major birth control pill brands across the country, women are forced to consider other brands and other methods.
By Jennifer Wilson <jlwilso2@dal.ca>
Posted: Nov. 6, 2006
Empty pack? If you're taking Alesse or Triphasil, you may be waiting a few weeks for your refill. Photo: Jennifer Wilson
Women across the country are lining up at drugstores, planning on refilling their birth control prescriptions.
But Anne-Camille Hardy, who takes Alesse, is out of luck.
A production shutdown at Wyeth Pharmaceuticals has led to shortages of Alesse and Triphasil.
Hardy, of Hull, Que., was surprised to find out that she couldn't get her pill this month.
"The situation is frustrating more than anything. The pill is something I count on. You could almost say I take it for granted, and with reason, I think. This is 2006. I shouldn't have to worry about when, or if, I'm going to get my next supply," she said.
Company spokesperson Della Rollins says the shortage is temporary.
"The situation is the result of unforeseen issues at our manufacturing facilities and will temporarily limit Wyeth Canada's ability to move product into the Canadian market. We are working hard to make Alesse and Triphasil available to Canadian patients as soon as possible," Rollins says.
In Halifax, most of the Shoppers Drug Mart and Lawtons Drugs locations are out of stock of both brands.
The Atlantic Superstore Pharmacy on Quinpool Road still has a limited supply in stock and according to a staff pharmacist will give out a one-month supply at a time.
Jade Fraser, of Halifax, is relieved she can still get her brand. She says, "It would really concern me if I couldn't get my pill. First of all, I would be worried about interrupting my regular cycle. Different pills work in different ways, so I'd really think twice about switching brands."
She's concerned because switching hormonal components can lead to weight gain, acne, mood swings, and, in rare cases, blood clots and other more serious complications.
Many women stay on the same birth control pill for several years. Women don't just need the pill to prevent pregnancy. On WebMD, a site offering articles on health issues based in New York, it says that birth control is also used to help with acne, severe cramps and mood swings.
Hardy trusts Alesse and isn't prepared to switch. She says, "I'm probably going to wait it out for now, and take the necessary measures in the meantime. I don't want to change pills."
Changing pills isn't just looking for a similar composition of hormones and hoping for similar side effects. It's also learning to trust another brand. Now, women such as Fraser and Hardy have realized the impact business can have on their access to the pill.
Fraser says, "If we can expect more interruptions like this from American or North American companies, I would probably talk to my gyno about it."
The shortage has also concerned Hardy. She says, "I'm worried because I don't know how long it's going to be before the problem is fixed. I also wonder about what they're going to have a shortage of next."
Women may be out of luck in getting their trusted brands, but luckily, there are alternatives.
A pharmacist at the Atlantic Superstore Pharmacy on Joseph Howe Drive, who asked not to be named, explained that when a woman comes in to refill either the Alesse or Triphasil brands, the pharmacist contacts her doctor to get an alternative prescription for a brand that is in stock.
The pharmacist said that the process is a minor inconvenience and they haven't received any complaints yet because of switching.
Dr. Kim Plaxton, the director at Dalhousie University Health Services, says a lot of people are calling the university clinic with their concerns.
She says when pharmacies call she switches the patient to a pill with similar hormone components.
"I'm not really anticipating a lot of side effects." Plaxton says, "From a medical point of view, just make sure you switch in time to meet your start date and you shouldn't need to worry about pregnancy."
When Alesse and Triphasil become available again, Plaxton says, "What I'm telling patients is, 'If you like the substitute pill, stay on it, if not, you can go back once the shortage is over.'"
The shortage may be over within the next few weeks for Alesse prescriptions. Wyeth Canada has received a supply of the pills and will be shipping them to pharmacies nationwide.
Rollins says patients should receive Alesse "within the week."
Women on Triphasil will be waiting for at least a few more weeks.
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