Some of the views expressed in the following notes on newly approved products should be regarded as preliminary, as there may have been limited published data at the time of publication, and little experience in Australia of their safety or efficacy. However, the Editorial Executive Committee believes that comments made in good faith at an early stage may still be of value. Before new drugs are prescribed, the Committee believes it is important that more detailed information is obtained from the manufacturer's approved product information, a drug information centre or some other appropriate source.
Divina (Organon Australia) oestradiol valerate 2 mg (11 white tablets) andoestradiol valerate 2 mg/medroxyprogesterone acetate 10 mg (10 blue tablets)
Indication: hormone replacement therapy
The drugs contained in this combination are already available as individual formulations. If a woman requires hormone replacement therapy after a natural or surgical menopause, a personal regimen should be devised. Women who use a regimen containing oestradiol valerate and medroxyprogesterone acetate may wish to change to this combination product. When making this change, practitioners should consider if this fixed dose combination is bio equivalent to the existing formulations of its components.
The advantage of this product is that it combines a natural oestrogen with a nonandrogenic progestogen. Medroxyprogesterone acetate does not antagonise the effects of the oestrogen on lipoproteins as much as the 19-nortestosteronetypes of progestogens. However, continuous oestrogen replacement is preferred to a 21-day regimen,1 so the usefulness of this product may be limited.
