Diane 35 Acne Drug Will Remain On Nz Market

For immediate release

DIANE 35 ACNE DRUG WILL REMAIN ON NZ MARKET

Schering (NZ) Ltd wants to reassure New Zealand woman using its prescription acne product Diane 35 that it will remain on the market following Pharmac's latest tender round.

Diane-35 will continue to be partly subsidised by Pharmac until 1 March next year. After that, the company says New Zealand women who are currently using Diane-35 for acne can expect to pay a similar amount or face only a small increase.

Diane 35 also acts as a combined oral contraceptive as it contains cyproterone acetate (a progestogen) and ethinyl estradiol (an oestrogen). Therefore women using Diane 35 do not require additional contraceptive protection.

"We have a lot of women using Diane 35 in this country either as an acne treatment or for oral contraception or both," says Schering regulatory manager Raewyn McNee. "Neither group wants to change from a medication on which they are well settled and which is producing results, and that's why we are committed to continuing to supply Diane 35 in New Zealand."

Ends 20 August 2001

For further information please contact

Raewyn McNee Schering (NZ) Ltd Tel 09 415 2862 (direct dial)

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