Did a critical television documentary affect the prescribing of cyproterone estradiol (Diane-35)?
Barbara Mintzes*, Steve Morgan* and Ken L. Bassett *Centre for Health Services and Policy Research;Departments of Family Practice and of Pharmacology and Therapeutics, University of British Columbia, Vancouver, BC Many factors influence prescribing behaviours, including scientific evidence, commercial information, physician education and patient preferences. We present an instance where prescribing was likely affected by a media report on Diane-35, a combination drug with both androgen-blocking and contraceptive properties, containing cyproterone acetate (2 mg) and ethinylestradiol (35 µg). Diane-35 was approved for use in Canada in 1998 as a second-line treatment for severe acne with accompanying signs of androgenization in women who have not responded to oral antibiotics or other acne treatments. When Health Canada approved the drug, the restriction in use was applied because of safety concerns about genotoxic effects on liver cells (see www.cbc.ca/disclosure/archives/030114_diane/re
