Regulatory requirements for product registration can be overwhelming. They’re complex, vary by country, and frequently change. We know they’re important (safe medicines, yes!), but what does it actually take to get a product from the manufacturing plant onto the shelves in your local pharmacy? Let’s take a look together.
Massive improvements in our family planning (FP) supply chains in recent years have generated an expanded and more reliable method choice for women and girls around the world. But while we celebrate such success, one nagging issue that warrants attention is the corresponding equipment and consumable supplies, like gloves and forceps, necessary to administer these contraceptives: Are they also getting to where they’re needed, when needed? Current data—both documented and anecdotal—suggest that they aren’t. At the very least, gaps remain. Through a literature review, secondary analysis, and a series of workshops held in Ghana, Nepal, Uganda, and the United States, we sought to understand this situation and put forth solutions to ensure that reliable method choice is accessible to FP users around the world. This piece is based on a larger piece of work funded by the Reproductive Health Supplies Coalition Innovation Fund.
A conversation with Dr. Otto Chabikuli, FHI 360’s Director of Global Health, Population and Nutrition, highlights important lessons from the COVID-19 vaccine rollout. Dr. Chabikuli discusses contributing factors—from lack of funding and manufacturing capacity to political will and vaccine acceptance—that have affected vaccination rates worldwide; how those same factors apply to family planning and reproductive health; and how other vaccine campaign approaches are relevant.
Consider this Family Planning Resource Guide your holiday gift guide for voluntary family planning tools and resources.
On November 19, the High Impact Practices for Family Planning (HIPs) Network, in collaboration with Family Planning 2020 (FP2020) and IBP Network, hosted a webinar where family planning supply chain experts presented the most important intervention areas and tips from experience.
Too much information can be almost as bad as too little. That's why we've collected the best resources on voluntary family planning during COVID-19—all in one convenient place.
COVID-19 has upended our lives and, possibly more significantly, many of our assumptions about its impact on the world. Experts in family planning are deeply concerned that interruptions in the contraceptive supply chain may result in a spike in unplanned births over the next six to nine months. And, if that proves to be true, what will be the impact on the environment?