Table 4.
Pharmacy staff responses to differences between UPA and LNG ECPs1.
| Response category2 | Response subgroup & example | Number responses (% total) |
Correct | Incorrect | Unclear3 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Effectiveness | |||||
| PlanB® is more effective “PlanB® is probably more effective.” | 1 (0.7%) | 0 | 1 | 0 | |
| ella® is more effective “ella® is more effective and stronger than PlanB®.” | 3 (2.1%) | 3 | 0 | 0 | |
| Indication | |||||
| Emergency versus routine contraception “PlanB® is emergency, while ella® is not.” | 4 (2.8%) | 0 | 3 | 1 | |
| Mechanism | |||||
| Effect on implantation “PlanB® prevents eggs from sticking to uterine lining versus ella® postpones ovulation.” |
3 (2.1%) | 0 | 3 | 0 | |
| Effect on progestin receptors “PlanB® is a protestin-type hormone, while ella® is a progestin receptor modulator…” |
1 (0.7%) | 1 | 0 | 0 | |
| Effect on ovulation “ella® delays ovulation…while PlanB® blocks ovulation.” | 2 (1.4%) | 1 | 1 | 0 | |
| Effect post-fertilization “PlanB®…is progestin-based, so only effective if you haven’t ovulated and sperm didn’t contact with egg. Ella® is a bit more controversial because it works…even after fertilization.” |
1 (0.7%) | 0 | 1 | 0 | |
| Prescription | |||||
| Over-the-counter versus prescription status “PlanB® is over-the-counter; ella® is prescription.” |
29 (20.6%) | 26 | 0 | 3 | |
| Timing | |||||
| Window following unprotected sex “PlanB® you can take within 72 h, ella® up to 5 days.” | 89 (63.1%) | 70 | 5 | 14 | |
| Urgency of administration “PlanB® can be taken within 72 h, the sooner the better.” | 2 (1.4%) | 0 | 1 | 1 | |
| Weight | |||||
| Effectiveness by patient weight “ella®…will work better for those overweight.” | 3 (2.1%) | 2 | 1 | 0 | |
| Indication by patient weight “ella® is for patients above a certain weight limit.” | 3 (2.1%) | 2 | 0 | 1 |
1
Responses included from the 211 pharmacies that discussed a difference between the medications.
2
Categories of differences are not mutually exclusive. Additional response categories included: administration (n=2), bleeding (n=1), brand (n=6), composition (n=75), dose (n=1), generic (n=2), insurance (n=1), manufacturer (n=1), price (n=5), and potency (n=13).
3
Responses were classified as ‘Unclear’ if unable to be considered definitively correct or incorrect. Examples of such responses include, “works differently, but accomplishes the same thing,” and “strength of medication is different.”