Groups urge Supreme Court to lift TRO on contraceptive implants

Several groups on Tuesday urged the Supreme Court to lift the temporary restraining order (TRO) banning the Department of Health (DOH) from distributing and administering contraceptive implants.

In an interview, Commission on Population (POPCOM) Regional Director Lydio Español said there is an immediate need for the lifting of the TRO because it prohibits the health department from distributing stocks of family planning commodities left stored in its warehouses.

“There is an immediate need for the lifting of the TRO. We have a lot of stocks of Implanon and Implanon NXT in our DOH warehouses. It cost millions of pesos. [T]hose stocks will be expiring,” Español said.

The TRO, issued June last year, prohibits the DOH from procuring, selling, dispensing, administering, and distributing Implanon and Implanon NXT, subdermal implants that inhibit ovulation and protect against pregnancy for up to three years. According to US reproductive health non-profit Planned Parenthood, fewer than 1 out of 100 women a year will become pregnant using Implanon or Implanon NXT (a modified version that includes barium sulfate to allow the implant to be detected by X-ray imaging).

Ruling against poor families –group

Democratic Socialist Women of the Philippines (DSWP) chairperson Elizabeth Angsioco said that preventing the DOH from administering the implant primarily affects poor families.

“The implant costs several thousand pesos and can go to as high as P10,000 if one gets it from a private doctor. This is way beyond the means of those who can barely meet their families’ daily needs,” Angsioco said.

The DSWP is one of the institutions providing poor families with implants and options for family planning.

“We also notice an increasing number of young women—a good of them are minors, accompanied by their mothers who are ready to give their written consent—among those who line up for implants. Despite the big demand, NGOs like DSWP can only do so much,” Angsioco noted.

90% of DOH family planning stock out by 2018

The TRO also constrains the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) from certifying certain contraceptive drugs and devices.

Español explained that the certificates of most of the family planning commodities the government acquires will expire without being renewed.

“It means we can no longer purchase again the same brands,” he said.

Español added, “There will come a time, starting 2018, [when] 90 percent of our stocks of FP, regardless of methods, pills, IUD and injectables, will not be available. It means we have stock-outs of 90 percent of our brands by 2018.”

As of July 2016, the FDA certificates of 31 percent of the brands have expired. These brands include pills, injectables, intrauterine device, implants, and vaginal rings.

Population to double faster

Español also underscored the importance of lifting the TRO if the country is to manage its population size.

“Right now, our population  is 101 million, and we’re doubling in 35 years. In that case, without family planning, our doubling time will be shorter. It means that we will be having overpopulation in the PH and we are not increasing our land area,” he said.

In earlier interviews, former DOH Secretary Janette Garin called the TRO an injustice to the Filipino people.

“I don’t think it’s an issue of safety. These family planning commodities; dumadaan naman sa tamang proseso. These are not just being used in the Philippines, [they are] being used worldwide,” she stressed.

Garin added, “If you don’t talk about support for family planning and  reproductive health, it’s very difficult to achieve our economic agenda. Paano mo naman sasabihing inclusive growth, paano mo sasabihing may mga trabaho? Family planning and reproductive health are very vital if you want to eradicate poverty.” — BM, GMA News