Prospect: information for the user
Drospil 0.02 mg/3 mg film-coated tablets EFG
etinilestradiol/drospirenona
Important things you should know about combined hormonal contraceptives (CHCs):
(CHCs):
Read this prospect thoroughly before starting to take this medicine, because it contains important information for you.
General Considerations
Before starting to use Drospil, read the information about blood clots in section 2. It is particularly important that you read the symptoms of a blood clot (see section 2 “Blood Clots”).
Before starting to take Drospil, your doctor will ask you some questions about your personal and family medical history. The doctor will also measure your blood pressure and, depending on your health status, may perform some other tests.
In this prospectus, several situations are described in which you should interrupt the use of Drospil, or in which the reliability of Drospil may decrease. In these situations, you should not have sexual intercourse or should take additional non-hormonal contraceptive precautions, such as the use of a condom or other barrier method. Do not use the rhythm or basal body temperature method. These methods may not be reliable because Drospil alters the monthly changes in body temperature and cervical mucus.
Drospil, like other hormonal contraceptives, does not protect against HIV (AIDS) or any other sexually transmitted disease.
Do Not Take Drospil
You should not use Drospil if you have any of the conditions listed below. Inform your doctor if you have any of the conditions listed below. Your doctor will discuss with you what other form of contraception would be more suitable.
You should not take Drospil if you have hepatitis C and are taking medications that contain ombitasvir/paritaprevir/ritonavir and dasabuvir, glecaprevir/pibrentasvir, or sofosbuvir/velpatasvir/voxilaprevir (see also the section “Other Medications and Drospil”).
Additional Information on Special Populations
Children and Adolescents
Drospil is not indicated for use in women who have not yet had their first menstrual period.
Women of Advanced Age
Drospil is not indicated for useafter menopause.
Women with Liver Insufficiency
You should not take Drospil if you suffer from liver disease. See sections “Do Not Take Drospil” and “Warnings and Precautions”.
Women with Renal Insufficiency
You should not take Drospil if you are suffering from kidney dysfunction or acute renal failure. See sections “Do Not Take Drospil” and “Warnings and Precautions”.
Warnings and Precautions
When Should You Consult Your Doctor?
Seek Emergency Medical Assistance
For a description of the symptoms of these serious adverse effects, see “How to Recognize a Blood Clot”.
Inform Your Doctor If You Suffer from Any of the Following Conditions
In some situations, you should take special care while using Drospil or any other combined hormonal contraceptive, and your doctor may need to examine you periodically. If the condition develops or worsens while you are using Drospil, you should also inform your doctor.
Consult your doctor before taking Drospil.
BLOOD CLOTS
The use of a combined hormonal contraceptive like Drospil increases your risk of suffering ablood clotcompared to not using it. In rare cases, a blood clot can block blood vessels and cause serious problems.
Blood clots can form:
The recovery of blood clots is not always complete. In rare cases, there may be long-lasting or even fatal effects.
It is essential to remember that the overall risk of a harmful blood clot due to Drospil is small.
HOW TO RECOGNIZE A BLOOD CLOT
Seek Emergency Medical Assistanceif you notice any of the following signs or symptoms.
Do you experience any of these signs? | What could you be suffering from? |
| Deep vein thrombosis |
If you are unsure, consult a doctor, as some of these symptoms, such as coughing or shortness of breath, can be confused with a milder condition like a common cold. | Pulmonary embolism |
Symptoms that occur more frequently in one eye:
| Retinal vein thrombosis (blood clot in the eye) |
| Heart attack |
Sometimes, the symptoms of a stroke may be brief, with almost immediate and complete recovery, but you should still seek emergency medical assistance because you may be at risk of another stroke. | Stroke |
| Blood clots that block other blood vessels |
BLOOD CLOTS IN A VEIN
What Can Happen If a Blood Clot Forms in a Vein?
When Is the Risk of a Blood Clot in a Vein Greater?
The risk of a blood clot in a vein is greater during the first year in which you take a combined hormonal contraceptive for the first time. The risk may be greater if you restart taking a combined hormonal contraceptive (the same medication or a different medication) after a break of 4 weeks or more.
After the first year, the risk decreases, but it is always slightly higher than if you were not taking a combined hormonal contraceptive.
When you stop taking Drospil, your risk of a blood clot returns to normal in a few weeks.
What Is the Risk of a Blood Clot?
The risk depends on your natural risk of VTE and the type of combined hormonal contraceptive you are taking.
The overall risk of a blood clot in the leg or lung (DVT or PE) with Drospil is small.
Risk of Developing a Blood Clot in a Year | |
Women whodo not usea combined hormonal contraceptive and are not pregnant. | Approximately 2 of every 10,000 women |
Women who use a combined hormonal contraceptive containinglevonorgestrel, noretisterone, or norgestimato. | Approximately 5-7 of every 10,000 women |
Women who use Drospil. | Approximately 9-12 of every 10,000 women |
Factors That Increase Your Risk of a Blood Clot in a Vein
The risk of a blood clot with Drospil is small, but some conditions increase the risk. Your risk is greater:
The risk of a blood clot increases the more conditions you have.
Long flights (over 4 hours) may temporarily increase the risk of a blood clot, especially if you have any of the other risk factors listed.
It is essential to inform your doctor if you have any of the conditions listed above, even if you are unsure. Your doctor may decide that you should interrupt the use of Drospil.
If any of the conditions listed above change while you are using Drospil, for example, a close relative experiences a blood clot without a known cause or you gain a lot of weight, inform your doctor.
BLOOD CLOTS IN AN ARTERY
What Can Happen If a Blood Clot Forms in an Artery?
Like a blood clot in a vein, a blood clot in an artery can cause serious problems. For example, it can cause a heart attack or a stroke.
Factors That Increase Your Risk of a Blood Clot in an Artery
It is essential to note that the risk of a heart attack or stroke due to Drospil is very small, but it may increase:
If you have more than one of these conditions or if any of them are particularly severe, the risk of a blood clot may be increased even further.
If any of the conditions listed above change while you are using Drospil, for example, you start smoking, a close relative experiences a blood clot without a known cause, or you gain a lot of weight, inform your doctor.
Drospil and Cancer
Cancer of the breast has been observed slightly more frequently in women using combined hormonal contraceptives, but it is not known whether this is due to the treatment. For example, it may be that more tumors are detected in women taking combined hormonal contraceptives because they are examined by their doctor more frequently. The incidence of breast tumors decreases gradually after stopping combined hormonal contraceptives. It is essential to undergo regular breast examinations, and you should consult your doctor if you notice any lumps.
In rare cases, benign tumors in the liver and, more rarely, malignant tumors have been reported in users of combined hormonal contraceptives. Consult your doctor if you experience severe abdominal pain.
Mental Health Disorders
Some women who use combined hormonal contraceptives like Drospil have reported depression or a depressed mood. Depression can be severe and sometimes may induce suicidal thoughts. If you experience mood changes and depressive symptoms, consult your doctor for additional medical advice as soon as possible.
Spotting Between Periods
During the first few months of taking Drospil, you may experience unexpected bleeding (bleeding outside of the days of the placebo pills). If these bleeding persists beyond a few months or starts after a few months, your doctor will investigate the cause.
What to Do If You Do Not Have Your Period During the Placebo Days
If you have taken all the pink pills correctly, have not experienced severe vomiting or diarrhea, and have not taken other medications, it is highly unlikely that you are pregnant.
If your expected period does not arrive in two consecutive instances, you may be pregnant. Consult your doctor immediately. Do not start the next pack until you are certain that you are not pregnant.
Other Medications and Drospil
Inform your doctor or pharmacist if you are taking, have taken recently, or may need to take any other medication.
Always inform your doctor of any medications or herbal preparations you are taking. Also, inform any other doctor or dentist who prescribes another medication (or your pharmacist) that you are using Drospil. They may advise you to take additional contraceptive precautions (for example, condoms) and, if so, for how long, or if you need to modify the use of another medication that you need.
Some medications
This may occur with
Drospil mayinfluence the effectof other medications, for example:
You should not take Drospil if you have hepatitis C and are taking medications that contain ombitasvir/paritaprevir/ritonavir and dasabuvir, glecaprevir/pibrentasvir, or sofosbuvir/velpatasvir/voxilaprevir, as these medications may cause increases in liver function parameters in the blood (elevated ALT enzyme levels).
Your doctor will prescribe another type of contraceptive before starting treatment with these medications.
Drospil can be restarted approximately 2 weeks after the completion of this treatment. See the section “Do Not Take Drospil”.
Consult your doctor or pharmacist before using any medication.
Taking Drospil with Food and Drinks
Drospil can be taken with or without food, and with a little water if necessary.
Laboratory Tests
If you need a blood test, inform your doctor or the laboratory staff that you are taking a contraceptive, as hormonal contraceptives can affect the results of some tests.
Pregnancy, Lactation, and Fertility
If you are pregnant or breastfeeding, or if you think you may be pregnant or plan to become pregnant, consult your doctor or pharmacist before taking this medication.
Pregnancy
If you are pregnant, you should not take Drospil. If you become pregnant while taking Drospil, you should stop taking it immediately and consult your doctor. If you want to become pregnant, you can stop taking Drospil at any time (see “Stopping Treatment with Drospil”).
Consult your doctor or pharmacist before using any medication.
Lactation
Generally, it is not recommended to take Drospil during lactation. If you want to take the contraceptive while breastfeeding, you should consult your doctor.
Consult your doctor or pharmacist before using any medication.
Driving and Operating Machines
There is no information to suggest that the use of Drospil has any effect on your ability to drive or operate machines.
Drospil Contains Lactose
If your doctor has indicated that you have a lactose intolerance, consult with them before taking this medication.
The pink pills of this medication contain less than 1 mmol of sodium (23 mg) per pill; this is, essentially “sodium-free”.
Each blister contains 24 active pink tablets and 4 white placebo tablets.
The two different types of colored tablets of Drospil are placed in order. A blister contains 28 tablets.
Take one tablet of Drospil every day, with water if necessary. You can take the tablets with or without food, but at approximately the same time every day.
Do not confuse the tablets:take a pink tablet every day for the first 24 days, followed by a white tablet for the last 4 days. Then you must start another pack immediately (24 pink tablets and 4 white tablets). Therefore, there is no break between two packs.
Since the composition of the tablets is different, you must start the pack with the tablet from the top left corner and take the tablets every day. Follow the direction of the arrows on the pack to take the tablets in the correct order.
Preparation of the blister:
To help you follow the taking order, each blister of Drospil includes 7 adhesive strips with the 7 days of the week. Choose the strip of the week that starts with the day you take the first tablet. For example, if you take your first tablet on a Wednesday, use the strip that starts with “WED”.
Stick the adhesive strip of the week on the top of the blister where it is indicated “Stick the adhesive strip here”, so that the first day is placed above the tablet marked with “1”. Now you will have a day marked above each tablet and you will be able to check visually if you have taken your tablet. The arrows indicate the order of taking the tablets.
During the 4 days when you take the white placebo tablets (placebo days), menstruation (menstrual bleeding) should take place. It usually starts on the 2nd or 3rd day after taking the last active pink tablet of Drospil. After taking the last white tablet, start the next pack, even if menstruation has not finished. This means that you must start the next pack on the same day of the week that you started the previous one and that menstrual bleeding should take place during the same days every month.
By taking Drospil in this way, you are also protected against pregnancy during the 4 days when you take placebo tablets.
When can you start with the first pack:
Start taking Drospil on the first day of the cycle (i.e. the first day of your menstruation). If you start taking Drospil on the first day of your menstruation, you are immediately protected against pregnancy. You can also start on days 2-5 of the cycle, but in that case you must use additional contraceptive methods (e.g. a condom) during the first 7 days.
You can start taking Drospil preferably on the day after taking the last active tablet (the last tablet that contains active ingredients) of your previous contraceptive, but no later than the day after the rest days (or after the last inactive tablet) of your previous contraceptive. When switching from a combined vaginal contraceptive ring or patch, follow the recommendations of your doctor.
You can switch from the progestin-only pill, any day. If it is an implant or an IUS, on the same day of its removal; if it is an injectable, on the day of the next injection). In all cases, it is recommended to use additional contraceptive methods (e.g. a condom) during the first 7 days of taking tablets.
Follow the recommendations of your doctor.
You can start taking Drospil between 21 and 28 days after giving birth. If you start later, you must use one of the so-called barrier methods (e.g. a condom) during the first 7 days of taking Drospil.
If, after giving birth, you have already had sexual intercourse, before starting to take Drospil you must be sure that you are not pregnant or wait for your next menstrual period.
Read the section “Breastfeeding”.
Ask your doctor if you are not sure when to start.
If you take more Drospil than you should:
No serious cases of overdose of Drospil have been reported.
If you take many tablets at once, you may feel unwell, vomit or have vaginal bleeding. This bleeding can occur even in girls who have not yet had their first menstrual period, if they accidentally take this medication.
If you have taken too many tablets of Drospil, or if you discover that a child has taken them, consult your doctor or pharmacist immediately or call the Toxicology Information Service, phone 91 562 04 20 indicating the medication and the amount taken.
If you forgot to take Drospil:
The last 4 tablets of the 4th row of the pack are placebo tablets. If you forget to take one of these tablets, you will not lose the contraceptive effect of Drospil. Dispose of the forgotten placebo tablet.
If you forgot to take an active pink tablet (tablets 1-24 of the pack), follow these guidelines:
The risk of incomplete protection against pregnancy is maximum if you forget to take a pink tablet at the beginning or end of the pack. The following recommendations are given in this situation (see the diagram below):
Consult your doctor.
Take the forgotten tablet as soon as you remember, although this means that you will have to take two tablets at once. Continue taking the subsequent tablets at the usual time and useadditional precautions, for example, a condom, during the next 7 days. If you have had sexual intercourse in the week before forgetting the tablet, you must know that there is a risk of pregnancy. In that case, consult your doctor.
Take the forgotten tablet as soon as you remember, although this means that you will have to take two tablets at once. Continue taking the subsequent tablets at the usual time. The protection against pregnancy does not decrease and you do not need to take additional precautions.
You can choose between two options:
Probably you will have bleeding at the end of the second pack – during the taking of the second pack – although you may experience spotting or bleeding similar to menstruation during the taking of the second pack.
If you follow one of these two recommendations, you will remain protected against pregnancy.
What to do in case of vomiting or intense diarrhea:
If you have vomiting in the 3-4 hours after taking an active pink tablet, or if you have intense diarrhea, there is a risk that the active ingredients of the tablet will not be fully absorbed by your body. This is similar to forgetting a tablet. After vomiting or diarrhea, you must take a pink tablet from a reserve pack as soon as possible. If possible, take it within 24 hours after the usual time you take your contraceptive. If this is not possible or more than 24 hours have passed, follow the guidelines of the section “If you forgot to take Drospil”.
Delay of menstrual period: what you should know:
Although it is not recommended, you can delay your menstrual period if you do not take the white placebo tablets from the fourth row and start taking the tablets from a new pack of Drospil and finish it. You may experience spotting or bleeding similar to menstruation during the use of the second pack. Finish this second pack by taking the 4 white placebo tablets from the 4th row. Then, start the next pack.
Ask your doctor before deciding to delay your menstrual period.
Change of the first day of your period: what you should know:
If you take the tablets according to the instructions, your menstrual period will start duringthe placebo days. If you have to change this day, you can do it by reducing theplacebo days(the days when you take the white tablets) (but never increase them-4 days is the maximum!). For example, if you start taking the placebo tablets on a Friday and want to change it to a Tuesday (3 days earlier) you must start a new pack 3 days earlier than usual. It is possible that you will not have bleeding during these placebo days. After that, you may experience light bleeding or spotting similar to menstruation.
If you are not sure how to proceed, consult your doctor.
If you interrupt the treatment with Drospil:
You can stop taking Drospil whenever you want. If you do not want to become pregnant, consult your doctor about other effective methods of birth control. If you want to become pregnant, stop taking Drospil and wait until your menstrual period before trying to become pregnant. This way you will be able to calculate the estimated date of delivery more easily.
If you have any other questions about the use of thismedication,askyour doctor or pharmacist.
If you experience any side effect, especially if it is severe and persistent, or if you have any health changes that you think may be related to Drospil, consult your doctor.
All women taking combined hormonal contraceptives are at a higher risk of developing blood clots in the veins (venous thromboembolism (VTE)) or blood clots in the arteries (arterial thromboembolism (ATE)). For more detailed information on the different risks of taking combined hormonal contraceptives, see section 2 “What you need to know before starting to take Drospil”.
Severe side effects
Immediately contact your doctor if you experience any of the following symptoms of angioedema: swelling of the face, tongue, and/or throat and/or difficulty swallowing or potentially difficulty breathing (also see the section “Warnings and precautions”).
The following side effects have been associated with the use of Drospil.
Common side effects(may affect up to 1 in 10 people):
Uncommon side effects(may affect up to 1 in 100 people):
Rare side effects(may affect up to 1 in 1,000 people):
The following side effects have also been reported, but their frequency cannot be estimated from the available data: hypersensitivity,erythema multiforme(skin rash with circular red patches or ulcers).
Reporting side effects
If you experience any type of side effect, consult your doctor or pharmacist, even if it is a possible side effect that does not appear in this leaflet. You can also report them directly through the Spanish System for the Pharmacovigilance of Medicinal Products for Human Use:https://www.notificaram.es. By reporting side effects, you can contribute to providing more information on the safety of this medicine.
Keep this medication out of the sight and reach of children.
This medication does not require special storage conditions.
Do not use this medication after the expiration date shown on the packaging, after CAD. The expiration date is the last day of the month indicated.
Medicines should not be disposed of through drains or in the trash.Deposit the packaging and unused medications at the SIGRE Collection Pointat the pharmacy. In case of doubt, ask your pharmacist how to dispose of the packaging and unused medications. By doing so, you will help protect the environment.
Composition of Drospil
Film-coated active tablets of color pink:
Tablet core: lactose monohydrate, pregelatinized cornstarch, povidone (E1201), croscarmellose sodium, polisorbate 80, magnesium stearate (E572).
Coating: polyvinyl alcohol, titanium dioxide (E171), macrogol 3350, talc, yellow iron oxide (E172), red iron oxide (E172), black iron oxide (E172).
Film-coated placebo white tablets:
Tablet core: anhydrous lactose, povidone (E1201), magnesium stearate (E572).
Coating: polyvinyl alcohol, titanium dioxide (E171), macrogol 3350, talc.
Appearance of the product and contents of the package
Only some package sizes may be marketed.
Marketing Authorization Holder
Effik Laboratories, S.A.
C/ San Rafael, 3
28108 Alcobendas, Madrid
Spain
Responsible for manufacturing
León Farma Laboratories, S.A.
Navatejera Industrial Estate
La Vallina s/n
24193 Villaquilambre, León
Spain
This medicinal product is authorized in the member states of the European Economic Area with the following names:
Bélgica:Droseffik 0.02 mg/3 mg filmomhulde tabletten
Spain:Drospil 0.02 mg/3 mg film-coated tablets EFG
Italy:Drospil 0.02 mg/3 mg compresse rivestite con film
Luxemburg:Droseffik 0.02 mg/3 mg comprimés pelliculés
Portugal:Droseffik 3 mg/0.02 mg comprimidos revestidos por película
Last review date of this leaflet: November 2022
For detailed and updated information on this medicinal product, please visit the website of the Spanish Agency for Medicines and Medical Devices (AEMPS)http://www.aemps.gob.es/.
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