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Drug Safety-related Labeling Changes (SrLC)

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NORETHINDRONE AND ETHINYL ESTRADIOL AND FERROUS FUMARATE (NDA-022573)

(ETHINYL ESTRADIOL; NORETHINDRONE)

Safety-related Labeling Changes Approved by FDA Center for Drug Evaluation and Research (CDER)

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06/26/2023 (SUPPL-12)

Approved Drug Label (PDF)

8 Use in Specific Populations

8.1 Pregnancy

PLLR conversion

Risk Summary

There is no use for contraception in pregnancy; therefore, GENERESS Fe should be discontinued during pregnancy. Epidemiologic studies and meta-analyses have not found an increased risk of genital or nongenital birth defects (including cardiac anomalies and limb-reduction defects) following exposure to COCs before conception or during early pregnancy.

In the U.S. general population, the estimated background risk of major birth defects and miscarriage in clinically recognized pregnancies is 2 to 4 percent and 15 to 20 percent, respectively.

8.2 Lactation

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Risk Summary

Contraceptive hormones and/or metabolites are present in human milk. COCs can reduce milk production in breast-feeding females. This reduction can occur at any time but is less likely to occur once breast-feeding is well-established. When possible, advise the nursing female to use other methods of contraception until she discontinues breast-feeding [see Dosage and Administration (2.2)]. The developmental and health benefits of breast-feeding should be considered along with the mother’s clinical need for GENERESS Fe and any potential adverse effects on the breast-fed child from GENERESS Fe or from the underlying maternal condition.

17 PCI/PI/MG (Patient Counseling Information/Patient Information/Medication Guide)

PATIENT COUNSELING INFORMATION

Additions and/or revisions underlined:

…

  • Counsel patients to chew one tablet daily by mouth without water at the same time every day in the exact order noted on the blister. Instruct patients what to do in the event pills are missed. See What Should I Do if I Miss any Pills section in FDA-Approved Patient Labeling [see Dosage and Administration (2.1)].

    …

04/29/2022 (SUPPL-14)

Approved Drug Label (PDF)

4 Contraindications

Additions underlined

GENERESS FE is contraindicated in females who are known to have or develop the following conditions:

…

  • Current diagnosis of, or history of, breast cancer, which may be hormone-sensitive [see Warnings and Precautions (5.2)]

5 Warnings and Precautions

5.2 Malignant Neoplasms

Additions underlined

Breast Cancer

GENERESS Fe is contraindicated in females who currently have or have had breast cancer because breast cancer may be hormonally sensitive [see Contraindications (4)].

Epidemiology studies have not found a consistent association between use of combined oral contraceptives (COCs) and breast cancer risk. Studies do not show an association between ever (current or past) use of COCs and risk of breast cancer. However, some studies report a small increase in the risk of breast cancer among current or recent users (<6 months since last use) and current users with longer duration of COC use [see Adverse Reactions (6.2)].

…

6 Adverse Reactions

6.2 Postmarketing Experience

New subsection added

Five studies that compared breast cancer risk between ever-users (current or past use) of COCs and never-users of COCs reported no association between ever use of COCs and breast cancer risk, with effect estimates ranging from 0.90 - 1.12 (Figure 1).

Three studies compared breast cancer risk between current or recent COC users (<6 months since last use) and never users of COCs (Figure 1). One of these studies reported no association between breast cancer risk and COC use. The other two studies found an increased relative risk of 1.19 - 1.33 with current or recent use. Both of these studies found an increased risk of breast cancer with current use of longer duration, with relative risks ranging from 1.03 with less than one year of COC use to approximately 1.4 with more than 8-10 years of COC use.

Please refer to label to view Figure 1.

17 PCI/PI/MG (Patient Counseling Information/Patient Information/Medication Guide)

PATIENT INFORMATION

Additions underlined

…

Do Birth Control Pills Cause Cancer?

It is not known if hormonal birth control pills cause breast cancer. Some studies, but not all, suggest that there could be a slight increase in the risk of breast cancer among current users with longer duration of use.

If you have breast cancer now, or have had it in the past, do not use hormonal birth control because some breast cancers are sensitive to hormones.

…

08/09/2017 (SUPPL-8)

Approved Drug Label (PDF)

4 Contraindications

(Additions and/or revisions are underlined)

Do not prescribe GENERESS Fe to women who are known to have the following:

  • Use of Hepatitis C drug combinations containing ombitasvir/paritaprevir/ritonavir, with or without dasabuvir, due to the potential for ALT elevations

5 Warnings and Precautions

5.4 Risk of Liver Enzyme Elevations with Concomitant Hepatitis C Treatment

(Newly added subsection)

During clinical trials with Hepatitis C combination drug regimen that contains ombitasvir/paritaprevir/ritonavir, with or without dasabuvir, ALT elevations greater than 5 times the upper limit of normal (ULN), including some cases greater than 20 times the ULN, were significantly more frequent in women using ethinyl estradiol-containing medications, such as COCs. Discontinue GENERESS Fe prior to starting therapy with the combination drug regimen ombitascir/paritaprevier/ritonavir, with or without dasabuvir . GENERESS Fe can be restarted approximately 2 weeks following completion of treatment with the Hepatitis C combination drug regimen.

7 Drug Interactions

7.1 Changes in Contraceptive Effectiveness Associated with Co-Administration of Other Products

(Additions and/or revisions are underlined)

…Some drugs or herbal products that may decrease the effectiveness of hormonal contraceptives include:

  • rifampin

7.3 Concomitant Use with HCV Combination Therapy – Liver Enzyme Elevation

(Newly added subsection)

Do not co-administer GENERESS Fe with HCV drug combinations containing ombitasvir/paritaprevir/ritonavir, with or without dasabuvir, due to potential for ALT elevations.

17 PCI/PI/MG (Patient Counseling Information/Patient Information/Medication Guide)

Patient Information

(Additions and/or revisions are underlined)

When to Start GENERESS Fe

If you start taking GENERESS Fe and you did not use a hormonal birth control method before: DAY-1 START:

  • You will not need to use a back-up method of birth control because you are starting the pill at the beginning of your period. However, if you start on a day other than the first day of your period or if you are starting after having been pregnant and have not yet had a period, use a back-up method of birth control such as a condom and spermicide until you have taken a light green pill for 7 days in a row.


Who Should not Take GENERESS Fe?

Your healthcare provider will not give you GENERESS Fe if you have:

  • Take any Hepatitis C drug combination containing ombitasvir/paritaprevir/ritonavir, with or without dasabuvir.   This may increase levels of the liver enzyme “alanine aminotransferase” (ALT) in the blood.