FDA Approves Birth Control Pill Safyral

Bayer HealthCare Pharmaceuticals Inc. Dec. 16 announced that the Food and Drug Administration has approved the new oral contraceptive Safyral (drospirenone 3 mg/ ethinyl estradiol 30 mcg/ levomefolate calcium 451 mcg tablets and levomefolate calcium 451 mcg tablets).

Safyral raises folate levels for the purpose of reducing the risk of rare neural tube defects in a pregnancy conceived while taking the drug or shortly after discontinuing it, the company said. Safyral provides the birth control Yasmin (drospirenone 3 mg/ ethinyl estradiol 30 mcg) with 451 mcg of levomefolate calcium, which is a B vitamin.

Bayer said Safyral is the second ...