Wyeth Pharmaceuticals, a division of Wyeth, announced that Lybrel (90 mcg levonorgestrel/20 mcg ethinyl estradiol tablets) is now available by prescription in US pharmacies.

Lybrel is indicated for the prevention of pregnancy and is the first and only low dose combination contraceptive pill taken 365 days a year, without a placebo phase or pill-free interval. Lybrel is priced comparably to other recently introduced brand name oral contraceptive products, packaged in the unique new ClickCase and can be found at most pharmacies.

"As a leader in women's health care, Wyeth is proud to be the first to provide women with a contraceptive option that allows many of them to put their monthly cycle on hold," says Ginger Constantine, M.D., vice president, women's Health Care, Wyeth Pharmaceuticals. "Women considering Lybrel should know that most subjects in the clinical studies experienced some breakthrough bleeding and spotting, especially during the first three to six months."

The pill does not protect against HIV or other sexually transmitted diseases.

Unscheduled bleeding or spotting is likely to occur while you are taking Lybrel. The convenience of having no regular menstrual periods should be weighed against the inconvenience of unscheduled or unplanned breakthrough bleeding and spotting.

Some women should not use the pill, including women who have blood clots; breast, uterine, or liver cancers; a history of heart attack, stroke, or breast cancer; as well as those who are or may be pregnant.

Serious risks associated with the pill which can be life threatening, include blood clots, stroke and heart attacks and are increased if you smoke cigarettes.

Cigarette smoking increases the risk of serious adverse effects on the heart and blood vessels from oral contraceptive use, especially if you are over 35. Women who use the pill are strongly advised not to smoke.

Lybrel provides women with more hormonal exposure on a yearly basis (13 additional weeks of hormone intake per year) than conventional cyclic oral contraceptives containing the same strength of synthetic estrogens and similar strength of progestins.

Because regular monthly bleeding does not occur on Lybrel, it may be difficult to recognize if you get pregnant. If you suspect that you may be pregnant, or if you have symptoms of pregnancy such as nausea/vomiting or unusual breast tenderness, you should have a pregnancy test and you should contact your health care professional.

The most common side effects reported with Lybrel in a clinical trial were headache, menstrual cramps, upper respiratory infection, vaginal bleeding, and nausea.