The Product Problem: Pathways for Making Misoprostol Available for Postpartum Hemorrhage

Gynuity Health Projects (GHP) is working to address operational and service delivery issues related to widely introducing misoprostol into health systems, particularly at the community and district levels. GHP also aims to influence international policies, technical guidance, and clinical practice to ensure that they reflect new evidence. An important aspect of this work involves gathering stakeholders to discuss issues related to product availability. To this end, Gynuity Health Projects convened a meeting to clarify pathways for moving forward in accordance with scientific evidence to foster availability of misoprostol and its use for postpartum hemorrhage indications. This included discussion of what registration means, how it can be optimally pursued, where registration fits in the context of making misoprostol available to meet women’s and health systems needs, and how and when it might make sense to proceed without product registration. More than 50 participants from around the world gathered in New York City on March 24-25, 2011 to discuss “The Product Problem: Pathways for Making Misoprostol Available for Post-Partum Hemorrhage”. Each day included a number of speakers as well as moderated discussions.