The FINANCIAL — Allergan plc on May 2 launched a bold initiative, “LILETTA Access on the Front Line”, aimed at helping to knock down barriers to intrauterine device (IUD) access for women in the military.
According to the Veterans Affairs (VA) Federal Supply Schedule (FSS), long-acting reversible contraceptives (LARCs), including IUDs, currently cost the military in the range of $330 to $650. Beginning in 2016, LILETTA is available at an FSS price of $55.83 to Military Treatment Facilities and VA hospitals nationwide. With LILETTA, Allergan meets the need for an affordable LARC option for women on the front lines, as well as the family members of those in service and our nation’s female veterans. Allergan’s initiative also includes an educational effort to raise contraception awareness among healthcare providers treating U.S. military servicewomen.
Servicewomen face many challenges when trying to access contraception. According to the Contraception journal article, “Contraception Access and Use Among U.S. Servicewomen During Deployment,” 59 percent of women do not discuss contraception with a healthcare provider before deployment. And when deployed, one-third of servicewomen are unable to obtain their birth control method and 41 percent have difficulty refilling birth control prescriptions.
“As a leader in women’s healthcare, Allergan is taking bold steps to help overcome barriers to patient access to IUDs in order to provide women with affordable, and accessible birth control options,” said Aimee Lenar, VP, Women’s Healthcare. “This military initiative provides servicewomen with information and access to make educated and cost-effective birth control decisions.”
LILETTA is a hormone-releasing system placed in a woman’s uterus to prevent pregnancy for up to three years and is greater than 99 percent effective. LILETTA is not permanent, it is reversible, and can be removed at any time by an HCP, offering the flexibility of use for either long or short term contraception. Allergan believes that all women, including servicewomen, should have access to all contraceptive options that suit their individual needs.
In 2015, Allergan launched LILETTA in partnership with Medicines360, a non-profit global pharmaceutical company that provides access to medicines for women regardless of their socioeconomic status, insurance status, or geographic location.
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