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Sino-implant (II)

    

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According to United Nations estimates, about 200 million women worldwide have an unmet need for safe and effective contraception. Hormonal contraceptive implants, introduced more than 25 years ago, are one of the most effective family planning methods developed to date. Despite their proven effectiveness and strong safety profile, implants remain an underutilized method, primarily because of their high cost. As a result, few programs and clinics offer them and stockouts are frequent.

To address these problems, FHI 360 provides technical assistance to support the introduction of Sino-implant (II)—a long-acting, effective, and more affordable contraceptive implant—through a grant from the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation (BMGF). According to information from the Reproductive Health Supplies Coalition, Sino-Implant (II) costs about 50 percent less than other implants on the market. As a result, it can be offered to women on a much greater scale than other implants and, most importantly, help reduce the high unmet need for contraception.

Sino-implant (II) is a subdermal contraceptive implant manufactured in China by Shanghai Dahua Pharmaceutical Co., Ltd. Annual pregnancy rates are below 1 percent1 among women using Sino-implant (II). The product is composed of two thin, flexible, silicone rods, each containing 75 mg levonorgestrel (a synthetic form of the hormone progesterone). These are inserted under the skin of a woman's arm by a trained health care provider. Sino-implant (II) is currently labeled for four years of use.

FHI 360 acts as an independent third party to assess the quality of Sino-Implant (II); negotiate public sector price ceiling agreements; work with distributors to secure regulatory approvals; and provide technical assistance for introduction at the country level including program evaluation. FHI 360 also collaborates on post marketing surveillance studies in four countries with support from the BMGF and the U.S. Agency for International Development (USAID). At the country level, FHI 360 works in close coordination with a number of organizations including government officials, distributors and service delivery groups. For more information, please email us.

Reference 

  1. Steiner, MJ, Lopez LM, Grimes DA, et al. Sino-implant (II)--a levonorgestrel-releasing two-rod implant: systematic review of the randomized controlled trials. Contraception 2010;81:197-201.

Selected Materials: 

  1. Sino-implant (II) Project fact sheet  (2012, PDF, 277 KB) 
  2. Comparison of Hormonal Implants (2012, PDF, 318 KB)
  3. Quality Evaluation of Sino-implant (II) (2012, PDF, 197 KB)
  4. Sino-implant (II) Initiative: 2011 Quality Assurance Evaluation. Executive Summary (2011, PDF, 116 KB)
  5. Sino-implant (II) Initiative: 2010 Quality Assurance Evaluation. Executive Summary (2010, PDF, 127 KB) 
  6. Sino-implant (II): 2009 Quality Assurance Evaluation Report (2009, PDF, 35 KB) 
  7. Sino-implant (II): 2008 Quality Assurance Evaluation Report (2008, PDF, 44 KB)
  8. Implants Toolkit
  9. Sino-implant (II) Update No. 1 (2010, newsletter)
  10. Status Update: WHO Prequalification of Sino-implant (II). September 2011 (2011, PDF, 85 KB)
  11. Family Health Research: Long-Acting and Permanent Methods (2008)

For more information on Sino-implant (II), please email us.

Also see our topic page on contraceptive implants.