Comparison of a paper pill with a conventional oral contraceptive tablet

A multicentre clinical trial comparing a novel formulation (the Paper Pill) of a combined oral contraceptive containing 30 microgram ethinyloestradiol and 150 microgram levonorgestrel with a conventional tablet formulation (Microgynon 30) has been carried out in 336 women over 6 cycles. There were no pill failures in women taking either preparation with one exception in the Microgynon 30 group which was due to poor patient compliance. Cycle control judged by cycle length, duration and amount of withdrawal bleeding and the incidence of intermenstrual bleeding was good in both groups. The number of adverse effects was slightly less in the Paper Pill group and fewer withdrawals for questionnaire reasons were noted than in the Microgynon 30 group. A questionnaire showed that the Paper Pill was accepted well by the majority of women in the trial.