Achieving self-sufficiency. the Turkey Contraceptive Social Marketing project sold 2.1 million cycles of low-dose pills in 1992
Yaser, Y.
Integration 37: 32-33
1993
ISSN/ISBN: 0916-0582 PMID: 12345100 Document Number: 338519
To encourage women in lower socioeconomic groups to realize the benefits of low-dose oral contraceptive (OC) use, the Turkey Contraceptive Social Marketing (CSM) project was initiated in December 1991. Until this time, most Turkish women who used OCs could only obtain high-dose preparations. Many discontinued use because of health concerns, causing the OC market to decline. Working with 3 OC manufacturers, Wyeth, Schering, and Organon CSM is promoting 5 different low-dose OCs with a method-specific educational campaign. Packaging of the OCs contains use instructions written for low-literacy women. Survey results show an increase in OC use in Metropolitan areas from 8 to 12% during 1990-92, with low-dose OCs capturing 61% of the market in 1992 vs. 50% in 1991. With sales at 128% of the first year's objective, the total OC market showed its first increase in years (to 18%). The low-dose OCs have an approval rating of 84%, and 61% of current acceptors are from lower socioeconomic groups. The success of the program was assured by the marketing efforts of the manufacturers, who tripled CSM's efforts. This result has led to plans to include injectables and implants in CSM's marketing efforts, with commercial distribution to being in 1994.