Teva Reports OTC Availability of Plan B One-Step Tablet 1.5mg

Teva Women's Health, the U.S subsidiary of Teva Pharmaceuticals

, today announced that the emergency contraceptive Plan B One-Step^® (levonorgestrel) tablet 1.5 mg is now widely available in the aisles of major retailers nationwide with no age or point-of-sale restrictions. Plan B One-Step^® is the first emergency contraceptive to be available for over-the-counter sale to all consumers. “Since the U.S. Food and Drug Administration approved Plan B One-Step^® with no age or point-of-sale restrictions on June 20, we have worked tirelessly to bring the product to market for all consumers as soon as possible,” said Martin Berndt, Vice President & General Manager, U.S. Brand Pharmaceuticals, Teva Women's Health, Inc. “The availability of Plan B One-Step^® in the aisles of retailers nationwide ensures improved access to a product that has been clinically evaluated and is a safe and effective back-up birth control method for women of all reproductive ages.” Despite the many highly effective birth control options available, none are 100 percent effective at preventing pregnancy and inconsistent or incorrect use can more than double the failure rate of many birth control options. In fact, one survey found almost one-half of the women who used emergency contraception reported fear of birth control failure as a reason for use. With Plan B One-Step^® available nationwide, women of all ages can be in control of their reproductive health by taking an additional step to prevent an unintended pregnancy after contraceptive failure or unprotected sex. “Emergency contraception gives women a last chance to prevent pregnancy after birth control failure or unprotected sex,” said Jill DeSimone, Senior Vice President & General Manager, Teva Global Women's Health. “Women have faced challenges to obtaining emergency contraception for far too long, and the availability of Plan B One-Step^® in the aisle for all consumers is a historic step forward.” Teva is committed to ensuring Plan B One-Step^® is available to all women who need it. As such, the price of Plan B One-Step^® to wholesale and retail outlets will remain unchanged as it transitions over-the-counter. In addition to now being available in aisle, Plan B One-Step^® will also continue to be sold to hospitals and health clinics at a subsidized price for women who may not otherwise be able to afford it.