Patches that improve on the Pill

A skin patch hailed as the most significant improvement in contraception since the Pill was introduced 40 years ago, has been given the all-clear by the European Medicines Agency.

The patch overcomes several of the drawbacks of the contraceptive pill and is expected to be licensed by the European Commission by the summer.

It uses the same hormones but because they are absorbed directly into the bloodstream through the skin and not through the digestive system, much lower doses of oestrogen and progestogen are needed.

Unlike the Pill it remains effective if the patient suffers from vomiting or diarrhoea.

Called Evra and manufactured by Janssen-Cilag, it was approved by the European Agency for the Evaluation of Medicinal Products following a review lasting 10 months.

In trials involving 3,300 women, 15 became pregnant, a similar success rate to the Pill.