Bayer partners with RACGP, calls for MBS reforms to boost access to long-acting contraceptives

Pharma News: Australian women are calling for more accurate information about their contraceptive options, with 70% feeling inadequately educated about contraception. A new national survey reveals that 32% of young women, aged 18 to 24, regularly experience anxiety regarding their current contraceptive method.

Compounding this anxiety, more than a third (35%) of young women reported having experienced a pregnancy scare, and 38% admitted to having taken emergency contraception.

Ged Kearney, Assistant Minister for Health and Aged Care, welcomed the survey findings, stating they will play a crucial role in shaping the government’s ongoing efforts to support women’s health.

“Bias against women in the health system is deeply entrenched. I’m proud to be part of a government taking women’s health seriously,” said Assistant Minister Kearney.

Caroline Mulcahy, Chair of the Family Planning Alliance Australia, emphasised the need for greater education, noting, “We must empower women with the knowledge and access needed to make informed decisions about contraception that best suits their needs. These findings highlight a significant gap in our current system, which fails to support contraceptive choice due to accessible, reliable information.”

Dr Lara Roeske, Board Chair of the Royal Australian College of General Practitioners (RACGP), echoed this sentiment, highlighting the vital role GPs play in providing contraception and sexual healthcare.

“GPs play a vital role in contraception and sexual healthcare, including advising patients on which contraceptive methods might be best for them, and performing intrauterine device (IUD) insertions and removals.”

The 2024 ‘Contraceptive Choice’ survey, which polled 1,000 women aged 18 to 45 and was commissioned by Bayer, underscored the critical importance of GPs, with 68% of women citing them as their primary source of contraception information.

“Ensuring patients have access to information on all the options for contraception is key to improving health, wellbeing, and social outcomes,” said Dr Roeske. She further stressed the need for increasing Medicare rebates and supporting GP training on IUD insertions to ensure frontline healthcare professionals can provide these essential services.

Mulcahy also stressed the importance of accessible and affordable contraception, asserting, “It is a woman’s fundamental right to have choices when it comes to their reproductive health. They deserve access to effective and affordable contraceptives, like long-acting reversible contraceptives (LARCs), and they deserve a health system that meets their needs.”

Despite the availability of various contraceptive options, barriers persist for women seeking to try new methods. The survey found that 42% of respondents feared potential side effects, 21% were concerned about the cost and time involved in switching, and 17% felt they lacked enough information to make informed decisions about new options.

Six decades after the introduction of oral contraception, it is alarming that while 70% of Australian women use some form of contraception, nearly a third have experienced an unplanned pregnancy at some point in their life. Data shows that one-third of unplanned pregnancies result in termination.

“Although LARCs are one of the most effective forms of reversible contraception, they are used by only 11% of women aged 15 to 44 in Australia,” said Mulcahy. “We need to bridge the gap between Australia and other OECD countries on this critical aspect of women’s health. The UK, for example, has a LARC uptake of 44.1%.”

Professor Deborah Bateson, a leading clinician and researcher in sexual and reproductive health from the University of Sydney, emphasized the need to address women’s concerns about contraception.

“It is vital that we address the challenges and concerns women have about contraception by ensuring they have accurate information, appropriate medical counselling, and easy access to contraceptive services. LARCs are a highly effective, affordable, and convenient contraceptive option, but there is much to be done to improve awareness and access.”

Manoj Saxena, CEO of Bayer ANZ, commended Minister Kearney for her leadership on the women’s health agenda, particularly the gender audit of MBS items and funding for LARC training.

“The current Senate Inquiry into Reproductive Healthcare has shown us that greater investment is needed to tackle inequalities in women’s access to long-acting reversible contraceptives (LARCs). By investing in LARCs, we have the opportunity to generate health savings and limit the far-reaching impact of unplanned pregnancies for women, their families, and the health system,” said Saxena.

The collaboration advocates for key reforms to ensure equitable access to contraception across Australia, including:

• Increasing the MBS rebate (item 35503) for IUD insertion from $77.65 to $222.65 to reflect the time and resources involved for healthcare professionals.
• A 20% increase in the MBS rebate for longer consultations (Level C: 20-40 minutes and Level D: 40+ minutes) to support more comprehensive women’s health discussions.
• A national contraception awareness campaign to fill education gaps around contraceptive options, especially LARCs, and combat misinformation on social media, which 21% of young women (aged 18-24) rely on for contraception information.

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